Darrell WongManager, Lumber Manufacturing FPInnovations |
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Darrell Wong continues to have a long and prosperous working relationship with the Renewable Resources Laboratory. Darrell helped to develop the first version of the lab microwave test apparatus during his undergraduate BASc. degree project in 1991. Some of this is still in use today. Prior to this, Dr. Schajer was his faculty advisor during his cooperative education work term at Forintek Canada Corp in 1990. This was also where he met Dr. John Taylor.
Darrell returned to the lab in 1994 to complete his MASc. degree. He graduated in 1996 after submitting his thesis entitled “Factors Affecting Bandsaw Tracking Stability”. Dr. Thomas Maness was an examiner on his thesis defence. Darrell went to work with Dr. Maness (Director) to establish and build the UBC Centre for Advanced Wood Processing. He travel extensively in this position visiting companies and institutes across Canada, the United States, Germany, France and Japan. Darrell eventually became Associate Director and taught courses in wood machining and tool and industrial engineering in the undergraduate Wood Products Processing Program in the UBC Faculty of Forestry.
Still not satisfied with the duration of his education, Darrell returned to the lab in 2000 to pursue his PhD. At the same time he went to work for Dr. Taylor at Forintek Canada Corp (FPInnovations) as a Scientist. He expanded his project work in both sawmilling and value-added wood processing. In 2007, Darrell complete his thesis entitled “Particleboard Simulation Model to Improve Machined Surface Quality”. This same year Dr. Taylor retired and Darrell took on the position of Group Leader of Sawmilling.
Over the years, Darrell’s research areas have diversified. He continues to work in wood machining but now also in process simulation and modeling, tool development, quality control and scanning. One element that has remained constant is his close ties with the Renewable Resources Laboratory, in particular with Dr. Schajer and his students.