Courses:
NRM 453 - Forest Harvesting and Utilization
NRM 394 - Biomass and Bioenergy
GEOG/NRM 393 - Intro to Enery and the Environment

Research Interests: Utilization of low value biomass for fuels and chemicals, mostly through thermochemical means (gasification, pyrolysis, supercritical fluids). Fundamental work with Alaskan biomass (composition, makeup, nutraceutical and pharmaceutical characteristics). Chemical characterization of Alaskan timber and non-timber species. Forest products development.

Current Research Programs:
1) Utilization of low value biomass for fuels and chemicals, mostly through thermochemical means (gasification, pyrolysis, supercritical fluids),
2) Fundamental work with Alaskan biomass (composition, makeup, nutraceutical and pharmaceutical characteristics),
3) Chemical characterization of Alaskan timber and non-timber species,
4) Forest products development

Examples of Research Support:
"Moisture content determination of fire-killed trees in interior Alaska", USDA Forest Service, $82,500, 2007-present

"Fast rotation crops", Matanuska Susitna Borough, $15,000, 2008-present

"Thermochemical conversion of Biomass", USDA-CSREES WUR, $75,000 2006-2008

"Bio-products module". USDA-CSREES WUR, $185,000, 2008-present

Examples of Publications:
Soria, J.A. McDonald, A.G, Shook, S.R. (2008) Wood solubilization and depolymerization using supercritical methanol. Part 1: Process optimization and analysis of methanol insoluble components (bio-char). Holzforschung, Vol. 62 (4), pp. 402–408.

Soria, J.A., McDonald, A.G., He, B.B. (2008) Wood solubilization and depolymerization by supercritical methanol. Part 2: Analysis of methanol soluble compounds. Holzforschung, Vol. 62 (4), pp. 409–416.

Soria, J.A. (2008) Biomass for bio fuels: not all trees are created equal. Agroborealis, Vol 39 (2), pp. 7-9.

Mitchell, B.K., L.L. Ingram, Jr., J. A. Soria, P.H. Steele, D.A. Strobel. (2008) Chemical and physical characteristics of bio-oils from pine and oak feedstocks. Forest Products Society Proceedings. Woody Biomass Utilization: Challenges and Opportunites. p.33-38.

Soria J.A., McDonald A.G., Shook, S.R., He, B. (2005) Supercritical methanol for conversion of ponderosa pine into chemicals and fuels. In the proceedings of the 13th Intl Symp. on Wood, Fibre and Pulping Chemistry, Auckland, New Zealand, May 16-19, Vol 3, pp. 369-374.