Principal Investigator
Prof. Orlando J. Rojas
Director of the Biobased Colloids and Materials (BiCMat)
Director of the Bioproducts Institute
Orlando Rojas vision
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Our research group
BiCMat is a diverse group of talented individuals, each with their own particular strengths and areas of study. We have created specialized sub-groups for our researchers to create meaningful collaborations and scientific impacts.
Learn about our activities outside the labs
Support team
Dr. Ran Bi
Lab Manager
PhD Microbiology, KTH (2016)
Polysaccharide and lignin fractionation and modification.
Dr. Ran Bi is the lab manager and senior researcher in the BiCMat group. She received her Ph.D. degree from the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) in Sweden, where she worked on the biodegradation of lignocellulose materials. After moving to Canada, she started at UBC as a post-doctoral researcher in Wood Science, Forestry, focusing on enzymatic and chemical pre-treatment of mechanical pulps to repurpose the traditional thermal-mechanical mill for the production of high value-added bio-based nanomaterials. She currently oversees lab management, including equipment and daily operations. Additionally, she collaborates closely with other researchers in the group to facilitate communication between different subgroups. Her own research focuses on bioconversion, biofabrication, and valorization.
Polyaromatics, Bioactive Colloids and Supraparticles
Dr. Adam (Jie) Wu
Group leader
PhD, Forestry, University of British Columbia (2021)
Biomass deconstruction, pulp and paper, cellulase enzymes
Dr. Adam (Jie) Wu obtained his PhD degree in 2021 from UBC’s Faculty of Forestry, focusing on repurposing mechanical pulping techniques as a pretreatment front-end for biofuel production. Prior to joining the BioMat group, Adam worked with Prof. Jack Saddler and Prof. Scott Renneckar as a postdoctoral researcher, specializing enzyme-mediated biomass deconstruction (i.e., pretreatment and cellulose hydrolysis), fiber modification and utilization of by-products from the pulping and paper industry. With the goal of replacing fossil-derived products, he will further his research on chemical and biological methods to produce cellulose and lignin-derived green bio-products at the BioMat group.
Dr. Jingqian Chen
PhD, Chemical Engineering, University of British Columbia (2020)
Reaction kinetics, Lignin particles, Fiber fragmentation
Jingqian works as a postdoctoral fellow in BiCMat, leading the “Polyaromatics, Extractives and Bioactives” subgroup. She received a Ph.D. in Chemical and Biological Engineering (University of British Columbia, UBC) in 2020. Her Ph.D. research focuses on hemicellulose depolymerization kinetics, cellulose refining and fragmentation kinetics, kraft pulping, and hemicellulose adsorption. Jingqian obtained M.Sc.E. in Chemical Engineering (University of Michigan) on biodiesel production from microalgae. Afterward, she worked as a R&D scientist in the coal to chemical technology industry. Her most recent work relates to lignin nanoparticle fractionation, aggregation kinetics, cellulose nanofibrils processing, and material applications.
Xuetong Shi
MSc. KTH, Aalto University (2019)/PhD student, University of British Columbia
Functionalized wood, phase change composite materials.
Xuetong Shi is a PhD student in UBC’s Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering. She received her dual master’s degree in Polymer Technology at KTH Royal Institute of Technology (Sweden) and Aalto University (Finland), under the supervision of Dr. Rojas. During this time, she mastered research skills in the areas of cellulose nanofibrils, phase change materials, thermal energy storage and related phenomena. Her current research focuses on the development of multifunctional wood by physical and chemical modification.
Marina Mehling
PhD student, University of British Columbia
Synthetic biology, plant biology and bioprocessing.
Marina joined the BiCMat group in September 2021 as a PhD student in Chemical & Biological Engineering. She earned a B.S. in Biological Engineering from Purdue University. Her previous research experiences involved work in synthetic and structural biology at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Purdue Cramer Lab, and the Joint BioEnergy Institute at UC Berkeley. This work inspire Marina to synergize biobased polymers (namely cellulose and natural polyphenols) with engineered proteins. Her work realizes biocompatible and biodegradable materials that can meet advanced applications in diagnostics, tissue engineering, and filtration. Outside of lab, Marina enjoys cooking plant-based meals and going on long walks.
Conrad is an undergraduate student in the Science One program in the Faculty of Science at UBC. He joined BiCMat in early 2024 under the mentorship of PhD student Marina Mehling. His work is centered on engineering viable corneal tissues for transplants from bacterial cellulose, which offers potential biomedical applications. Through his research, Conrad aims to introduce bacterial cellulose as a competitive alternative to current corneal tissue options. Outside of the lab, Conrad enjoys exploring the great outdoors, venturing to new restaurants, and travelling.
Danish Hakim
Co-op student, Undergrad students, University of British Columbia, Biomedical department
Xun Niu
PhD student, University of British Columbia,
Nanjing Forestry University, Aalto University
Bacteria cellulose, bark extractives, functional supraparticles
Xun Niu did her bachelor and master degrees in Chemical Engineering from Nanjing Forestry University (2019). Her main research focused on cellulose nanofiber modification for functional composites and packaging applications. In the third year of her master, she had the opportunity to work as an exchange student with Dr. Rojas’s group at Aalto University, Finland. Then she started her Ph.D. program at UBC in September 2020. Her current research interest continues to be on bioproduct development, specializing in the valorization of wood bark components.
Gio Ferson Bautista
PhD candidate (Chemistry), University of British Columbia
Flavonoids, bark extractives
Gio obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Chemistry from the University of the Philippines in 2017 where he carried out research in the area of natural products chemistry. Afterwards, he worked as a research assistant in the Philippine’s Nuclear Research Institute where he studied radiation protection agents. In 2021, he started his graduate studies in chemistry under the supervision of Prof. Orlando Rojas, where he is trying to understand the compounds found in trees and how they can be utilized.
Daniel Barker-Rothschild
PhD student, University of British Columbia, MSc. Chem. Eng. University of Alberta (2022)
Lignin chemistry, engineering, valorization
Daniel is a PhD student in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering. He acquired his BSc. (2020) and MSc. (2022) degrees in Chemical Engineering from the University of Alberta. His research background includes lignin extraction, characterization, drought stress response mechanisms of trees and multivariate data analysis applied to chemical systems. Daniel’s current research focuses on using chemometrics to develop structure-property relationships between lignin feedstocks, their polymeric properties, and their resulting material product attributes.
Julia Azzi
MSc student, University of British Columbia
Lignin nanoparticles, engineering
Julia is an M.Sc. student in Chemical & Biological Engineering at UBC. Prior to joining the BiCMat group, she earned a B.Sc. in Medical and Biological Physics from McMaster University. Through research placements in soft matter physics, particle physics, and sustainable bioplastics, Julia’s interests gravitated to materials science with applications in sustainability. Outside the lab, Julia enjoys Zumba, tap dancing, swimming, and reading.
Matthew Cao
MSc student, University of British Columbia
Bark extractives, functional supraparticles
Matthew joined the BiCMat group in September 2023 as an MSc. student. He obtained his BSc. at the University of Toronto in the Materials Science Specialist program. During Summer 2022, he had the opportunity to work as a research exchange student at the institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (iCeMS) in Kyoto University, where he studied the supramolecular assembly of porous materials. His current research focuses on the self-assembly processes of bioextractives.
Prottasha Sarker
PhD student, NC State University / Co-advised with Prof. Saad Khan
Rheology of bio-based hydrogels
Multiphases and Biobased Colloidal Systems
Dr. Elnaz Erfanian
Group leader
PhD, Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Calgary
Emulsion, microfluidics
Dr. Elnaz Erfanian is a postdoctoral researcher in the BiCMat group. Prior to this position, she was a PhD student at the University of Calgary, a visiting scholar at the University of British Columbia (2022) and the BioProducts Institute, and a visiting scholar at Harvard University (2023). She obtained her B.Sc. (2017) and M.Sc. (2019) degrees in polymer engineering from Amirkabir University of Technology. During her PhD, Dr. Erfanian made significant contributions to the synthesis, characterization, and additive manufacturing of graphene-based materials. Her current research focuses on the fabrication of hierarchical Pickering emulsions using microfluidic techniques.
Dr. Yi Lu
PhD Chem Eng, University of Alberta (2020).
Colloids and Interfaces, Multiphase systems, Self-assembly, Living matters, Machine learning
Dr. Yi Lu is a postdoctoral research fellow and the sub-group leader of Micro/Nanomaterials & Multiphase systems. He received his Ph.D. degree at the University of Alberta in 2020. His current research focuses on colloidal and interfacial science, multiphase systems, self-assembly, and living matter. Aside from work, he is passionate about snowboarding, hiking, and wildlife sightseeing.
Dr. Chris Zhou
PhD, Electrical and Computer Engineering University of British Columbia (2023)
Light polarization, hydrogel, optoelectronics, electrical/optical systems, signal processing
Dr. Chris Zhou is a postdoctoral research fellow. He received his Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of British Columbia in 2023. His current research focuses on biophysical science, multiphase systems, light-matter interaction, and bio-optics/photonics. He developed a real-time 3D imaging system, which can use light polarization matrices to investigate the characteristics and forming mechanisms of plant extracts and bacteria cellulose. By analyzing the beautiful polarization images/signals of these fibre or assembled structures, Chris was deeply attracted by the complexity of living matters. He is also keen on mathematics, game development, writing, and photography.
Zhangmin Wan
PhD student, University of British Columbia / Co-advised with Prof. Simcha Srebnik
Atomic simulations, Crystallography, Thermodynamics, Nanomechanical research.
Zhangmin Wan is a Ph.D. student at the University of British Columbia and a member of the Interfaces, Adsorption, and Computational Analisys sub-group. He received his MSc. degree at Nanjing Forestry University in 2020. His current research field is related to the elastoplastic behavior of chitin nanocrystals using both experimental tools (X-ray and atomic force microscopy techniques) and simulation methods (molecular dynamics simulations, quantum chemistry, and the first principle calculations).
Yeedo Chun
PhD student, University of British Columbia
Cellulosic foams, microfluidics, multiphase systems
Yeedo joined the BiCMat group as a Ph.D. student in Chemical & Biological Engineering in 2020 after receiving his B.ASc. in Materials Engineering. Arriving with knowledge focused in conventional thermosets, he sought to work with cleaner, more sustainable chemistries and pursue applications that would displace harmful materials in high throughput industries. Yeedo hopes to one day offer novel materials to the fashion industry that will result in drastically reduced pollution, safe and just working conditions for all throughout our products’ life cycles, and new possibilities in the manufacture and design of our garments.
Junyue Wang
Volunteer student, Undergrad students, University of British Columbia, Chemical Engineering department
Marianelly Esquivel
PhD student, Universidad Nacional Costa Rica
Nanochitin
Marianelly Esquivel is a researcher at the Polymer Research Laboratory (POLIUNA) at the Universidad Nacional (UNA), Costa Rica. She is a Ph.D. candidate at the interuniversity doctoral program DOCINADE with UNA and UBC. She is trained in Industrial Chemistry (UNA) and holds a M.Sc. degree in Forest Products (Universidad de Guadalajara, México). Her research interests focus on the use of aquaculture and agro-industrial waste to extract high value-added materials. This serves as the basis for the generation of new materials and products, contributing to the development of a bioeconomy framework in her own Costa Rica.
Dr. Carolina S F Picone (Unicamp, Brazil)
Professor University of Campinas (Unicamp), Brazil
Biopolymers, Food Science and Technology, Colloids and Interfaces, Emulsions
Dr. Carolina S. F. Picone is a visiting Professor in Prof. Rojas’s BiCMat group. She is Professor at the School of Food Engineering, University of Campinas (Unicamp-Brazil) and head of the Laboratory of Food Colloids (LMA). She earned her PhD and MSc in Food Engineering from Unicamp. Her research is focused on biopolymer interactions as a route to novel encapsulation, emulsification and controlled delivery of functional food ingredients.
Minke Yang
PhD student, Food Science and Engineering/ South China Agricultural University
Bio-based emulsion, encapsulation and delivery, polyphenol
Minke joined the Orlando’s group in Oct. 2023. She obtained her master’s degree in Food Science and Engineering from South China Agricultural University in 2022. Her previous research is about the encapsulation and delivery of tea polyphenol through hydrogel. Now she is willing to explore more colloid systems with different functions. Out of the lab., you can also find her in the UBC dance club and Yoga studio. Sports make her more energetic.
Xin Shu
PhD student, University of British Columbia
Colloidal materials, Multiphase system
Xin joined the BiCMat group in January 2024 as a PhD student in Chemical & Biological Engineering. She received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Food Science & Engineering from China Agricultural University. Xin previously worked on natural-based colloidal systems (nanocomplexes, emulsions, and composite hydrogels) for the encapsulation and delivery of food bioactive compounds. With the knowledge gained from her research, Xin will continue working on the structure-property relationship and interaction of biopolymers to improve their application outcomes. In her leisure time, Xin enjoys crocheting, playing the blues harmonica, and working out.
Yi Hu
PhD student, Northeast forestry university
Cellulose material, nanofibrous aerogel
Yi joined the BiCMat group in January 2024 as a joint PhD student at the University of British Columbia. He graduated from Northeast Forestry University with a bachelor’s degree in Wood Science and engineering. His previous research has focused on cellulose, electrospun nanofibers, 3D aerogels and exploring functionalization and applications. Now, Yi is interested in CO2 capture from the seawater by biomass materials.
Sustainable Materials and Processing, Fibrils and Nanoparticles
Dr. Tianyu Guo
Group leader
PhD Nanjing Forestry University (2020)
Bioinspired nanomaterials, Wearable electronics, Interfacial chemistry
Dr. Tianyu Guo received her Ph.D. in Pulp and Paper Engineering from the Nanjing Forestry University and was a joint student at the University of British Columbia (UBC). Earlier experiences included her research in University of News Brunswick. Her current work is focused on biomacromolecule-based functionalization and applications. As a postdoctoral fellow, she is working on bio-based inks and foam-forming for wearable electronics and bio-based filtration systems. She is also a senior researcher at UBC Bioproducts Institute, working on interfacial chemistry of biomass materials.
Dr. Mário André Brito Seixas Nunes
PhD, Material Science and Engineering, Federal University of Campina Grande (2021)
Polymeric Materials, Recycling, Adsorbents, Nanocomposites
mabsnunes.britoseixasnunes@ubc.ca
Dr. Mário André is a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute of Chemistry in University of São Paulo, Brazil. Currently, he is developing natural adsorbents to the removal of pollutants from water. Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from the Federal University of Campina Grande and the Center for Advanced Research in Graphene and Nanomaterials (Mackgraphe). With extensive experience in polymeric materials, particularly in polymeric nanocomposites, recycling, polymer synthesis, adhesives, biodegradable blends, and graphene, he specializes in the processing, synthesis, and characterization of polymeric materials and conductive nanocomposites.
Amir Reza Mohebi
PhD student, University of British Columbia / Co-advised with Prof. James Feng
Hydrogel Mechanics; CFD; Fluid and Solid Mechanics
Amir joined the BiCMat group as a Ph.D. candidate in Chemical Engineering in September 2023. He completed his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees at Amirkabir University of Technology, specializing in Fog harvesting and Zero Liquid Discharge during his undergraduate studies. Transitioning to his master’s, he focused on CFD-DEM simulation of moving bed Catalytic reactors. Currently pursuing his Ph.D., Amir’s research centers on hydrogel mechanics within the wet spinning process. Passionate about materials science and engineering, Amir enjoys solving real-world problems through the application of mathematics and simulation. Outside of research, he can be found working out, experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen, and Camping out close to bears.
Dr. Yizhou Sang
PhD Chemical Eng., University of British Columbia (2012)
Polymer chemistry, wet-end paper chemistry, bioproduct development.
Dr. Yizhou Sang earned his Ph.D. in Chemical and Biological Engineering from University of British Columbia. He is also a registered professional engineer (P. Eng.) with Engineers and Geoscientists BC (EGBC). His career has focused on technology development and commercialization in the context of climate change and energy management with two successful bio-based product commercialization. Currently, he is a research associate at UBC Bioproducts Institute leading efforts related to bioproduct development.
Mahyar Panahi Sarmad
PhD student, University of British Columbia
Smart Materials, Aerogels, Nanomaterials, Additive Manufacturing
Mahyar is a trainee in material science and engineering who aspires to lead the cutting-edge field of multi-responsive and intelligent materials. He actively engaged in understanding foundational concepts of polymer science while still an undergraduate student. He earned a MSc degree (Jan 2018), focused on the use of conductive nanoparticles in dielectric elastomer actuators (artificial muscles) and aerogel design and applications. As an Elite scholar for ca. 2 years, he also investigated shape memory materials. He spent two-and-a-half years working as a research associate at Jiangnan University. Currently, his research at UBC revolves around the functionality of Aquabots, additive manufacturing (3D&4D printing and liquid-liquid printing), smart polymer composites (sensors and actuators) and EMI shielding.
Wim He
Volunteer students, Undergrad students, University of British Columbia, Chemical Engineering department
Shuyuan Cui
PhD student, University of British Columbia
biomass-based hydrogel, multifunctional sensor
sshuyuan@student.ubc.ca
Shuyuan joined the BiCMat group in May 2024 as a PhD student at the University of British Columbia. He graduated from Shaanxi University of Science & Technology with a master’s degree in Biomass Chemistry and Materials Engineering. During his master’s study, he focused on cellulose nanofibers, hydrogels, and exploring their feasibilities in biomedical applications. Now, Shuyuan would like to prepare versatile hydrogels by designing the chemical structure.
Bruno Las-Casas Chaves
PhD candidate, Applied Bionanotechnology Laboratory, University of Sao Paulo (Brazil)
nanocellulose, nanolignin, active packaging
Bruno joined BiCMat group in May 2024 as a visiting international research student. Currently, he is a PhD candidate in Applied Bionanotechnology Laboratory at the University of Sao Paulo (Brazil). He acquired his BSc. (2021) in Agribusiness Engineering from the University Federal Fluminense (Brazil), during which he spent six months as a visiting student in the University of Beira Interior (Portugal). His current research focuses on customizing cellulose nanofibrils by enzymatic treatments and the incorporation of lignin nanoparticles to produce active packaging films. Outside the lab, he enjoys working out and playing his acoustic guitar.
Golshan Matinfar
PhD student, Food Science, University of British Columbia / Co-advised with Prof. Anubhav Pratap-Singh
Emulsion, Packaging, Biomaterials
Golshan is currently a PhD student in a joint research program with the BiCMat and Food Process Engineering groups, focused on developing, designing, and engineering bio-soft materials to address challenges in food packaging. She earned her master’s in Food science from Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, specializing in structured emulsions to replace trans and saturated fats in whipped creams. Before starting her PhD at UBC, Golshan volunteered at UBC’s Bioproducts Institute, where she investigated the use of Pickering emulsions to encapsulate oat oil with cellulose derivatives. Outside of research, she enjoys camping, swimming, and exploring cozy local cafes
Ayako Takagi
Industrial Designer, Emily Carr Art and Design University, Vancouver
Sustainable design, papermaking, 3D modeling/rendering
Ayako Takagi is an industrial designer working at the UBC BioProducts Institute, where she collaborates with researchers to prototype and to develop sustainable bio-products. Ayako has a particular interest in ancient traditional techniques related to papermaking and their philosophy of care for their products. She is exploring how to apply traditional artisans’ knowledge to the latest scientific research in order to tackle climate change issues and develop sustainable societies. While Ayako enjoys collaborating with scientists, she is also interested in communication on an interdisciplinary level and exploring how to share design and science research with public audiences, allowing her to involve non-designers in her research.
Yicheng Zhang
Co-op student, Undergrad students, University of British Columbia, Forestry department
Samantha Pritchard
MSc student, University of British Columbia
Cellulose nanofibrils, surface chemistry
Samantha joined the group in 2021 after completing her H.B.Sc. in Materials Chemistry at McGill University. She studies water-based microtemplating and bio-sourced catechols as surface modifications, creating cellulose materials with tailorable surface chemistry. Some of this work is in collaboration with industrial design research through Emily Carr University, considering how researchers shape their perspective on the materials they study. Samantha is interested in how functional biomaterials can be used promote a circular economy. In her free time she can be found hiking to find the best lakes for swimming or biking towards baked goods.
Juan Pablo Calvo
Master student, University of British Columbia
Wet-spinning, CCU, Coral Reef Engineering, Bio Packaging
Juan Pablo joined the BiCMat group in early 2023 and is currently pursuing a MASc in Chemical & Biological Engineering at UBC. He holds two bachelor’s degrees in Chemical and Environmental Engineering from Universidad de los Andes, Colombia. His work is oriented to the production of cellulose and chitin filaments through wet-spinning. Additionally, he is interested in Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU) and Coral Reef Engineering.
Yuma Hashimoto
Co-op student, Undergrad students, University of British Columbia
Hybrid Materials, Composites and Applications
Dr. Ahmadreza Ghaffarkhah
Group leader
PhD, Mechanical Engineering, University of British Columbia (2024)
Carbon-based nanomaterials; MOFs; polymer processing; 3D printing; liquid-in-liquid printing
Ahmadreza Ghaffarkhah holds a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Canada. Currently, he is a joint postdoctoral fellow at the Bioproducts Institute, UBC Vancouver Campus, and the School of Engineering at UBC Okanagan Campus. His research interests include colloid and interface science, structured liquids, carbon-based nanomaterials, and bio-based materials. Additionally, he is involved in research on 3D printing and liquid-in-liquid printing of carbon-based hydrogels and inks.
Dr. Farhad Ahmadijokani
PhD Mechanical Eng., University of British Columbia (2024)
MOF, water remediation
Dr. Farhad Ahmadijokani earned his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from UBC, with a concentration on the application of Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) in environmental contexts. His ongoing research is centered around exploring the interface between MOFs and biobased polymers for ultimate environmental applications. In his role as a postdoctoral fellow, he is actively engaged in structuring MOFs and biobased polymers through techniques such as wet spinning, electrospinning, and 3D printing, with a specific focus on their utilization in carbon dioxide (CO2) capture.
Tina Raeisi Gahrooee
PhD student, University of British Columbia
Nanochitin, Chitosan
Tina is currently pursuing her PhD in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at UBC. During her master’s at the same department at UBC, her research centred around investigating the mechanical behaviour of Cellulose Nanocrystals for sustainable applications. Prior to her academic journey at UBC, Tina successfully earned a master’s degree at the Queen Mary University of London. During her time there, she specialized in Biomedical Engineering with Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering where she characterized novel peptides for biomedical purposes. Tina hopes her chemical and biomedical engineering background would help her design a novel application from biomass resources for water and air decontamination. Aside from her work, Tina enjoys running, windsurfing, and hiking.
Seyyed Alireza Hashemi
PhD Candidate, Mechanical Engineering, at the University of British Columbia
Interfacial complexation, nanomaterials synthesis, liquid-in-liquid printing, electromagnetic shielding, aerogels/cryogels/foams
alireza.hashemi@jean-robert-clarke
Seyyed Alireza Hashemi is currently a PhD candidate in Mechanical Engineering at the University of British Columbia. His research focused on the task-oriented synthesis of advanced nanomaterials such as graphene oxide, MXene, and biopolymers (CNF, CNC, chitin) toward interfacial complexation, liquid-in-liquid printing, and generation of structured liquids. The formed interfacially-driven assemblies are thence used as templates for aero-/cryo-gels production toward electromagnetic (EM) shielding, piezoresistive sensing, effective oil/water separation, and beyond. He currently joined as a visiting scholar at BiCMat to further explore the potential of biopolymers toward green mechanically robust functional cryogels for water harvesting and CO2 capturing.
Praven Kamalanathan
Master student, University of British Columbia
Foam Forming Technology, Bio-based Product Development
Praven obtained his Bachelor of Applied Science in Materials Engineering from the University of British Columbia, Vancouver in 2020 and joined BiCMat afterwards to use his knowledge in developing bio-based materials. His Research has been focused on Bioproduct Development using foam forming technology and exploration of Reticular Chemistry. He hopes to hybridize and combine the two fields for utilization in multifaceted applications inclusive of Water Remediation, Gas storage and separation, and Energy Harvesting for a brighter and more sustainable future.