Ulrike Tschirner

headshot of Ulrike Tschirner with brown hair and glasses.
Professor
Director of Undergraduate Studies
[email protected]
+1 612 624 8798
204 Kaufert Laboratory

2004 Folwell Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55108
United States

Education
  • Ph.D. - Lignin Chemistry, Univeristy Karlsruhe, Germany.
  • M.S. - Organic Chemistry, University Karlsruhe, Germany.
  • B.S. - Chemistry, University Karlsruhe, Germany.

Areas of Interest

Biomass conversion, Bioplastics, Renewable Energy, Pulping, Bleaching

Biography

After graduating with a PhD in lignin chemistry I spent one year as post-doc researcher in the Department of Paper Science and Engineering, Syracuse, NY followed by 9 years as research chemist in the Fiber Technology group in Scott Paper Comp. I have been a faculty at the University of Minnesota since 1995.

Teaching

  • BBE 4001/5001 Chemistry of Biomass and biomass conversion
  • BBE 4403 Bioproducts engineering lab 1
  • BBE 1001 Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering Orientation

Research

Areas of research interest are focused on innovative sustainable use of lignocellulosics. Specifically, we are seeking to develop new and improved applications for biomass, including biofuels and bioplastics, environmentally-friendly pulping and bleaching processes and recycled fiber. Achieving this goal requires research in several fundamental fields including lignin and carbohydrate chemistry, fiber characteristics, enzyme technologies and the use of sophisticated analytical tools.

Select Publications

  • Harris, S. B., Tschirner, U. W., Gillespie, A., & Seeger, M. J. (2018). Characteristic Properties of Novel Organosolv Lignin/Polylactide/Delta-Valerolactone Terpolymers. Journal of Polymers and the Environment, 26(8), 3262-3271.
  • Stephanie B. Harris, Ulrike W. Tschirner, Nathan Lemke & Jorgen L. van Lierop (2017), Characteristic properties of Organosolv lignin/Polylactide copolymers, Journal of Wood Chemistry and Technology Vol. 37 , Iss. 3
  • Xu, L.; Tschirner, U (2014). Immobilized anaerobic fermentation for bio-fuel production by Clostridium co-culture. Bioprocess Biosyst Eng 4;37(8):1551-9
  • Schilling, J.S., Ai, J., Blanchette, R.A., Duncan, S.M., Filley, T.R., Tschirner, U.W.; (2012) Lignocellulose modifications by brown rot fungi and their effects, as pretreatments, on cellulolysis. Bioresource Technology 116: 147-154
  • Xu, L.; Tschirner, U. “Peracetic acid pretreatment of alfalfa stem and aspen biomass” (2012) BioResources 7(1), 203-216.
  • Yin, D.L; Jing, Q.; Al Dajani, W.; Duncan, S.; Tschirner, U.; Schilling, J.; Kazlauskas, R.; (2011) Improved pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass using enzymatically-generated peracetic acid. Bioresource Technology 102(8), 5183-5192.
  • Xu, L.; Tschirner, U. Improved ethanol production from various carbohydrates through anaerobic thermophilic co-culture. Bioresource Technology (2011) 102 (21), 10065-10071.
  • Duncan, Shona; Jing, Qing; Katona, Adrian; Kazlauskas, Romas J.; Schilling, Jonathan; Tschirner, Ulrike; AlDajani, Waleed Wafa.(2010) Increased saccharification yields from aspen biomass upon treatment with enzymatically generated peracetic acid. Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology 160(6),1637-1652.
  • Huang, H.-J.; Ramaswamy, S.; Tschirner, U. W.; Ramarao, B. V. Separation and purification processes for lignocellulose-to-bioalcohol production. Woodhead Publishing Series in Energy (2010),3 (Bioalcohol Production), 246-277.

Honors and Awards

  • “Richard C. Newman Art of Teaching Award”, (2001)
  • “John Tate Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Advising”, (2003)
  • “Horace T. Morse - University of Minnesota Alumni Association Award for Outstanding Contributions to Undergraduate Education” (2012)
  • “George W. Taylor/CSE Alumni Society Award for Distinguished Teaching” (2012)
  • “Richard C. Newman Community Impact Award” (2014)
  • "BBE Professor of the year" (2015)