Wallenberg Prize awarded to Dr Derek Gray
Dr. Derek Gray of McGill University awarded prestigious 2013 Marcus Wallenberg Prize for his cellulose nanocrystal research.
Dr. Gray receives the international award for his pioneering study of cellulose nanocrystals. Gray will travel to Stockholm in September to officially receive the prize from H.R. Carl XVI Gustaf the King of Sweden. The Prize sum is 2-million Swedish Krona, more than 300 000 00 CAD.
"Through his research, Dr. Gray has shown that cellulose crystals in water suspensions align spontaneously in a specific pattern, in turn creating unique optical properties", said Kaj Rosén, MWP Foundation.
"This discovery has extended the boundaries of the uses of forest raw material and in doing so has created the potential for a series of new products in the forest industry such as applications of films in "intelligent" packaging materials, printed electronic circuits on paper, surfacing and filler materials for paper and paperboard, inks and cosmetics and iridescent or magnetic films."