News
IRG President comments regarding IRG57
IRG57 was another successful and memorable meeting of the International Research Group on Wood Protection. We were delighted to welcome participants from around the world to Beijing, where we shared the latest developments in wood protection, wood durability, bamboo technologies, and the sustainable use of renewable materials.
The meeting featured two outstanding keynote presentations highlighting the remarkable progress that China has made in our field. Jin Liu, Deputy Director of the Laboratory for Wood Protection at the Wood Value Promotion and Sustainable Development Center, presented the current status of wood protection in China, while Professor Wenji Yu from the Chinese Academy of Forestry showcased recent advancements in bamboo processing and protection. Together, these presentations demonstrated China's growing contribution to global research, innovation, and industrial development.
The local organizing committee did an exceptional job. The conference facilities were excellent, the scientific programme was stimulating, and all events were organized with great professionalism and hospitality. The Scientific Field Trip provided participants with a unique opportunity to visit the Beijing Forestry University wood products research facilities, the Beijing Ancient Architecture Museum, and the Beijing Longshuncheng Jingzuo Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum. These visits offered valuable insights into both China's rich cultural heritage and its modern research infrastructure. The Post-Conference Tour to the Great Wall and the Summer Palace provided a memorable conclusion to the week.
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the Conference Chair, Professor Jinzhen Cao, the Scientific Programme Chair, Professor Hiroshi Matsunaga, the members of the Scientific Programme Committee, and all members of the local organizing committee for their dedication and hard work in delivering such an outstanding meeting.
I would also like to extend my appreciation to our sponsors for their continuous support of the IRG. Their commitment to research, innovation, and international collaboration is essential to the success of our organization and our annual meetings.
As we conclude our time in Beijing, we can already look forward to the next chapter of the IRG journey. IRG58 will take us to Venice, Italy, providing another excellent opportunity to strengthen existing collaborations, establish new partnerships, and advance the science and practice of wood protection.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to making IRG57 a success. I look forward to meeting you again in Venice.
Dr Miha Humar - IRG President
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Awards at IRG57
Gareth Williams Award presented by Arxada
Best Scientific Paper Presentation
Luka KOPAČ, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
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Rich Ziobro Award presented by Koppers
Best Scientific Poster Presentation
Wenshuang LIU, Beijing Forestry University, China
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Viance Innovation Award presented by Viance
Most Innovation Scientific Research
Dan LU, Beijing Forestry University, China
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IRG Committee Appointments at IRG57
Executive Committee - EC
Representing Corporate Members:
Shekaib Adab, Genics Inc, Canada
Yuji Kubo, Koshii Preserving, Japan
Scientific Programme Committee - SPC
Section 1 Biology
Vice-Chair:
Davor Krzisnik, Slovenia
Section 5 Sustainability & Environment
Vice-Chair:
René Herrera, Spain
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IRG57 Programme
The IRG57 Programme is still available to read or download.
To read or download the current iteration of the IRG57 Programme as a PDF please click here.
To read the current iteration of the IRG57 Programme as a HTML webpage please click here.
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Long time IRG member Dr Holger Militz has been awarded the prestigious 2026 Marcus Wallenberg Prize for 2026.
Holger has had a long and storied career, most recently as Professor at the University of Göttingen in Germany. For those unfamilar with Holger's life you can read his IRG bio here. Holger is an Honorary Life-Long Member of the IRG.
The IRG congratulates Holger on this prestigious award, it is richly deserved.
If you wish to contact Holger regarding his being awarded the 2026 Marcus Wallenberg Prize please click here.
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IRG58 Templates
Templates for submission of Papers and Posters for IRG58 are available on the IRG website at the Templates webpage.
Deadlines for submissions of Papers and Posters for IRG58 can be found at this link.
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RCA Awards applications to attend IRG58 in 2027
Application criteria, information and forms for the 2027 Ron Cockcroft Award to provide travel cost support for those eligible, in order to attend IRG58 in Venice, Italy during June 13-17, 2027 are available at this link.
Note that the deadline for submission of applications for the 2027 RCA awards to attend IRG58 is December 15, 2026.
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