David P. Harper is a tenured Professor in the Department of Forestry, Wildlife, and Fisheries; faculty in the Center for Renewable Carbon with a 100% Research appointment; and Joint Professor of Materials Science and Engineering. He has been a faculty member at UT since 2004. His research focuses on developing materials from plant-based sources that concentrate on regionally abundant sources that do not compete with food crops. His goal is to create materials that can replace or are superior to fossil or mined materials. He has worked extensively with a low-value co-product of pulp, paper making, and biofuels production, lignin, to make this goal a reality. Our work in the Harper lab focuses on developing sustainable materials derived from plant materials to create an array of new commercial products, such as carbon fibers, activated carbon, carbon black, carbon quantum dots, graphitic carbon, resins, plastics, and biomedical devices.
Since joining UT, Dr. Harper has taken to heart the mission of UTIA to improve the lives of Tennesseans. Our research and outreach efforts try to accomplish this by improving the environment in which we live and creating jobs by helping companies develop new, bio-derived products. We work with many local startups, regional companies, and large multinational corporations to provide renewable solutions in their businesses. Additionally, Dr. Harper works with students (undergraduate and graduates) to develop leadership skills to expand and drive the sustainable economy of today and tomorrow. Our lab believes that UTIA can be a leading economic engine that drives the state of Tennessee through sustainable development and creating jobs in the new bio-economy.
