Richard Venditti
Elis-Signe Olsson Professor of Pulp and Paper Science and Technology
Biltmore Hall (Robertson Wing) NA
Bio
Dr. Venditti’s research is in the area of pulp/paper, bioeconomy, recycling, and environmental lifecycle analysis with a goal to ensure effective utilization of renewable plant resources to produce sustainable products, including polymeric materials and biofuels.
Dr. Richard Venditti’s is the Elis-Signe Olsson Professor of Pulp and Paper Science and Engineering in the Forest Biomaterials Department at NCSU. He has 26 years of experience in research in the areas of pulp/paper, bioeconomy, recycling, and environmental LCA. His research and teaching is involved in developing effective systems to transform renewable plant based resources into sustainable products. Venditti uses environmental life cycle analysis to guide and analyze research in bioproducts. He is currently heading a multi-organization research project to understand the fate of microparticles from laundering in the environment. He also is the principal investigator of a four year, $2.75 million United States Department of Agriculture program, entitled, Preparing Diverse and Rural Students and Teachers to Meet the Challenges of the Bioproducts and Bioenergy Industry. Venditti teaches Unit Operations of Pulp and Paper, Process Control, Environmental LCA, and Introduction to the Bioeconomy classes at NC State.
Additionally, Dr. Venditti is the director of the Pulp and Paper Workshop at NC State, co-sponsored by the Technical Association of Pulp and Paper Industries (TAPPI). He teaches the paper recycling portions of the course. He received a PhD in Chemical Engineering from Princeton University, was named a TAPPI Fellow in 2012, and was named a Fulbright Senior Specialist in Environmental Science in 2009. He has over 150 peer reviewed publications and three patents. The Venditti-Gillham Equation was derived by Venditti to predict the glass transition temperature as a function of chemical conversion in polymeric systems and is often cited by name, with over 120 citations. His technology was the catalyst of a start-up company, Tethis, that produces renewable products such as superabsorbent polymers from carbohydrates.
Area(s) of Expertise
Processing and utilization of natural polymers in new products and fuels, biodegradation of biopolymers, microfibers from laundering, the fundamentals of separation science in fiber processing, paper and cotton recycling, and the environmental life cycle analysis
Publications
- Enzyme-assisted dewatering and strength enhancement of cellulosic fibers for sustainable papermaking: A bench and pilot study , JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION (2024)
- Aquatic Biodegradation of Poly(beta-Hydroxybutyrate) and Polypropylene Blends with Compatibilizer and the Generation of Micro- and Nano-Plastics on Biodegradation , JOURNAL OF POLYMERS AND THE ENVIRONMENT (2023)
- Environmental Life Cycle Assessment of Premium and Ultra Hygiene Tissue Products in the United States , BIORESOURCES (2023)
- Environmental sustainability perception toward obvious recovered waste content in paper-based packaging: An online and in-person survey best-worst scaling experiment , RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING (2023)
- Fluffy, Fluffier, and Fluffiest: Creating and Testing Biodegradable Starch Packing Peanuts , JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL EDUCATION (2023)
- Innovation in lignocellulosics dewatering and drying for energy sustainability and enhanced utilization of forestry, agriculture, and marine resources - A review , Advances in Colloid and Interface Science (2023)
- Observing Microplastics in the Environment through Citizen-Science-Inspired Laboratory Investigations , JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL EDUCATION (2023)
- Redesigning the appearance of recycled containers for packaging applications: The effect of paper waste physicochemical properties on the performance of paperboards with obvious recycled content , PACKAGING TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCE (2023)
- Survivability of Salmonella Typhimurium (ATCC 14208) and Listeria innocua (ATCC 51742) on lignocellulosic materials for paper packaging , HELIYON (2023)
- Using Activity Theory to understand the interactions of a university interdisciplinary team of scientists and science educators , STUDIES IN HIGHER EDUCATION (2023)