Mississippi State University Faculty and Student Honored for Excellence in Forest Products Research

Strategic Insights -

Aadarsha Lamichhane, a doctoral student in MSU's Department of Sustainable Bioproducts, received the prestigious Wood Award for his innovative student research. The award recognizes outstanding graduate-level work that advances wood science and technology. Lamichhane's research focuses on developing engineered cellular wood beams with corrugated panel cores made from small, underutilized trees, promoting sustainable alternatives in forest-based materials.

Additionally, the L.J. Markwardt Award was presented to an MSU Forest and Wildlife Research Center team including Jason Street and Yunsang Kim, both associate professors in the Department of Sustainable Bioproducts, and Kim's former graduate student Kamal Neupane for the paper with the most outstanding merit published in the Forest Products Journal over the past two years.

Key Takeaways:

  • Aadarsha Lamichhane, a doctoral student in MSU's Department of Sustainable Bioproducts, received the prestigious Wood Award for his innovative student research, which focuses on developing engineered cellular wood beams with corrugated panel cores made from small, underutilized trees.
  • The Wood Award recognizes outstanding graduate-level work that advances wood science and technology, and Lamichhane's research promotes sustainable alternatives in forest-based materials.
  • Lamichhane credits MSU's supportive environment, access to excellent research facilities, and mentorship of faculty, particularly Dr. Mostafa Mohammadabadi, as key to his success.
  • The L.J. Markwardt Award was presented to an MSU Forest and Wildlife Research Center team including Jason Street and Yunsang Kim, both associate professors in the Department of Sustainable Bioproducts, and Kim's former graduate student Kamal Neupane for the paper with the most outstanding merit published in the Forest Products Journal.
  • Neupane's award-winning paper examines the effectiveness of physical barriers in resisting specific termites and beetles in cross-laminated timber wall envelope systems.
  • Neupane credits MSU for providing research support and mentorship that helped bring the project to life, and emphasizes the importance of solving real-world problems that align with academic and industry priorities.

Statistics:

  • Over the past two years, the Forest Products Journal has published papers with outstanding merit, with an unspecified number of awards presented.
  • Lamichhane's research focuses on developing engineered cellular wood beams made from small, underutilized trees.
  • The MSU Forest and Wildlife Research Center team has published a paper with outstanding merit in the Forest Products Journal.
  • MSU has a Department of Sustainable Bioproducts with research areas including wood science and technology.

Sources:

  • "MSU faculty, student honored for excellence in forest products research" by Mississippi State University Newsroom (Aug. 26)
  • Original text here: https://www.msstate.edu/newsroom/article/2025/08/msu-faculty-student-honored-excellence-forest-products-research