Professor – Faculty of Forestry, University of Toronto



Professor Yan specializes in forest-based biomaterials science and composites, bio-based adhesives and adhesion, digital printing, and surface sciences of paper. Currently, her research group is focused on developing novel environmentally-friendly green bio-based composites, producing green chemicals using renewable forestry biomass as feedstock, and the next generation high valued paper based products.

Professor Yan is cross-appointed to the Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry and is a founding member of the Centre for Biocomposites and Biomaterials Processing in the Faculty of Forestry. She is also an Associate Director of the Pulp and Paper Centre at the University of Toronto.

Areas of study:

  • Green chemicals and adhesives from forestry biomass conversion,
  • Green bio-based composites and products from renewable forestry resources,
  • Development of novel nanocellulose crystal based composite films,
  • Development of light weight sandwich panels for construction and automotive applications,
  • Paper-based inexpensive sensors and devices,
  • High yield pulp utilization in digital printing papers.
  • Bark Biorefinery project.