InnoRenew CoE, UP IAM researchers, participated in the 2026 SWST International Convention, held 7–12 June 2026 at COEX in Seoul, South Korea.

The convention brought together wood scientists, educators, and industry professionals from around the world to discuss recent advances in wood science, timber engineering, sustainable construction, bio-based materials, circular economy and innovation in the forest-based sector.

Researchers from InnoRenew CoE, UP IAM, who attended the convention included Dr. Mohammad Derikvand, Dr. Michael Burnard, Dr. Matthew Schwarzkopf and Dr. Lei Han.

Dr. Mohammad Derikvand presented research on the assessment of heritage timber beams for dowel-laminated timber production, focusing on material recovery and structural performance. Additionally, he moderated the sessions about Advanced Timber Engineering and Hybrid Structural Systems, and Designing for Performance and Resilience in Residential Timber Structures.

Dr. Michael Burnard presented his study on interactions in sensory experiences of wood, exploring how people perceive wood through multiple sensory modalities in the built environment. He also moderated the sessions about Circular Economy, Climate Mitigation, and Socio-Economic Impacts and New Approaches to Wood Sector Education and Workforce Development.

Dr. Lei Han gave an oral presentation on moisture-activated set-recovery of thermo-hydro-mechanically densified hardwood dowels for high-tolerance timber connections.
The presentation introduced recent research on THM-densified beech and poplar dowels, focusing on their potential as self-tightening connectors for dowel-laminated timber. The results showed that densified beech dowels can generate high expansion pressure after moisture activation, supporting low-force assembly and robust adhesive- and metal-free timber joints.

Dr. Matthew Schwarzkopf who is also president-elect and on 1st July 2026 will become the SWST President, presented research on flexible bondlines and thermal enhancement in wood composites and presented work on advancing sustainability and innovation in the built environment through wood and bio-based materials, focusing on educational programmes at the University of Primorska. Moreover, he moderated sessions about Fundamentals and Frontiers in Wood Physics and Mechanics and Fundamentals in Wood Chemistry and Biorefining.

Participation in the SWST International Convention 2026 provided an opportunity to share research results with the international scientific community, strengthen collaborations with researchers and industry representatives, and contribute to discussions on the future development of sustainable wood-based materials and technologies.