Janis GRAVITIS

Professor Janis GRAVITIS Head of the Wood Materials Department, Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry Dzerbenes iela 27, Riga LV 1006 LATVIA Phone: +371 7553137 Fax: +371 7550635 E-mail: jgravit@edi.lv

Born: February 11, 1948, Aluksne, Latvia

Interests:

• Formation and structure of the wood cell wall lignin-carbohydrate matrix.
• ZeroEmissions concept and environment protection
• Biomass Refinery (Biorefinery) approach for biofuels and chemicals. Petrochemicals replacement with chemicals from biomass
• Biomass-Based Production Systems (BPS)
• Ecotechnologies, identification and operation of new sustainable and integrated clusters for forest, agricultural and plantation biomass - based industries in framework of the UNU ZERI (Zero Emissions Research Initiative) Program

Education:

• University of Latvia (Faculty of Chemistry), 1970
• Visiting student at the Department of High Molecular Weight Compounds, Moscow University, Russia, 1969
• Dr.chem. (Candidate of Science in former USSR, Ph.D. in Western countries), USSR Academy of Sciences, 1977
• Dr.habil.chem. (Doctor of Science in former USSR), USSR Academy of Sciences, 1989

Languages: Latvian, English, Russian

Research and Professional Experience

     Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry:

• Engineer, 1970 - 1972
• Senior Engineer, 1972 - 1976
• Junior Researcher, 1976 - 1979
• Senior Researcher and Head of Research Group, 1979 - 1988
• Head of Laboratory, 1988 - 1992
• Head of Department, 1992 -
• Professor, 1993

    Abroad:

• United Nations University, Institute of Advanced Studies, Tokyo, Japan, 1996 -
• Visiting Researcher, University of Tokyo, Asian Natural Environmental Center, 1997   - 1998
• Visiting Professor, University of Tokyo, 1999 - 2000

Honours and Awards:

• Corresponding Member, Latvian Academy of Sciences, 2006
• The Latvian Academy of Sciences Presidium First Award, 1979, 1984
• The Latvian Academy of Sciences Presidium First Award for Young Scientists, 1982

Professional Activities and Memberships:

• Member, Habilitation and Promotion Council, Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry, 1992 -
• American Chemical Society, Division of Cellulose, Paper and Textile, 1993
• The International Lignin Institute, Switzerland, 1993
• Fellow of the International Academy of Wood Sciences, 1994
• Member of the UNU/ZERI Scientific Advisory Committee, 1996
• Member of the Shehy Shagari World Institute (SSWI) International Advisory Board, 1999

Supervising and Lecturing:

• Supervisor of 11 B.Sc., 2 M.Sc. and 4 Ph.D.
• Lectures at the Technical University of Bratislava (former Czechoslovakia), 1988
• Lectures at the United Nations University, Institute of Advanced Studies, Tokyo, Japan, for Ph.D. Fellows, 1996 -
• Lectures at the University of Tokyo, Asian Natural Environmental Center, 1997 –
• Invited presentations: Sapporo University, Kyushu university, Mie University and The Science Council of Japan
• 5 Keynote lectures at the International Conferences and Symposiums, 1996 -

Research Projects:

• J. Gravitis (Head of Project). Structure of Wood, Its Components and Modifications as Fractal and Nonfractal Elements Simbiotic Compositions under Conditions of Extreme Actions. Latvian Council of Science (1997-2000).
• J. Gravitis (Head of Project). Establishment of Ecological Preparations Appropriate to European Standards (EN) for Prevention of Wood Biodegradation, Latvian Council of Science (1997-2000).
• J. Gravitis (Head of Project). New Materials obtained from Steam Explosion Autohydrolysed Biomass. Latvian Council of Science (2001-).  
• J. Gravitis (Head of Project). Molecular and Supermolecular Structure of New Materials Obtained from Steam Explosionn Autohydrolysed Biomass.  Latvian Council of Science (2001- ).
• J. Gravitis (Co-coordinator of Project). UNU/IAS ZERI Project (1996 - 2000).
• J. Gravitis (Co-coordinator of Project). UNU/IAS QITS (Quartz Industrial Trade System) Project (1997 - 2000).
• J. Gravitis (Foreign Member of Steering Committee). Japanese Monbusho Ministry Zero Emissions Project (1997 - 2001).

Publications:

More than 220 publications, 10 reviews, chapters for 2 books.

Recent Significant Publications:

• Serimaa R., Vahvaselkä S., Kokorevics A., Teeäär R., Gravitis J., Pakkari T. The Structure of Weakly Ordered Cellulose. - Univ. Helsinki Rep. Ser., Phys., 1992, Vol. HU-P-259, pp. 1-29.
• Gravitis J. Lignin Structure and Properties from the Viewpoint of General Disordered Systems Theory. In: Ligno-Cellulosics. Science, Technology, Development and Use \ Ed. by J.F.Kennedy, G.O.Phillips, P.A.Williams - New York, Ellis Horwood, 1992, pp. 613-627.
• Teeäär R., Lippmaa E., Gravitis J., Kokorevics A., Kreituss A., Zharov A. Structural-Changes of Cellulose, Wood, and Paper Under Sheer Deformation and High-Pressure - J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 1994, Vol. 54, N 6, pp. 697-708.
• Gravitis J., Andersons B., Teeäär R., Kallavus U. Studies on the Structure of the Steam Explosion and Swelling-Salvation Cellulose and Lignin Using 13C CP/MAS NMR. - Third European Workshop on Lignocellulosics and Pulp. - Stockholm, Sweden, August 28-31, 1994, pp. 5-7.
• Kokorevics A., Gravitis J., Kalnacs J. Fullerene C-60 Destruction under Shear Deformation and High-Pressure Action. - Chem. Phys. Lett., 1995, Vol. 243, N 3-4, pp. 205-210.
• Kallavus U., Gravitis J. A Comparative Investigation of the Ultrastructure of Steam Exploded Wood with Light, Scanning and Transmission Electron-Microscopy - Holzforschung, 1995, Vol. 49, N 2, pp. 182-188.
• Gravitis J., Kokorevics A., Andersons B., Kallavus U., Teeäär R. A New General Model of Wood Cell Wall Substance, Developed on the Bases of Recent Experimental and Theoretical Studies - The 8th International Symposium on Wood and Pulping Chemistry. June 6-9, 1995, Helsinki, Finland. Proceedings, vol. 1, pp. 93-100.
• Kokorevics A. and Gravitis J. Cellulose Depolymerization to Glucose and Other Water Soluble Polysaccharides by Shear Deformation and High Pressure Treatment. - Glycoconjugate J., 1997, Vol.14, No.5, pp. 669-676.
• J.Gravitis. Thermodynamics Aspects of Steam-Explosion Pulping as a Potential Method for Paper Deinking - Fourth European Workshop on Lignocellulosics and Pulp. Stresa, Italy, September 8-11, 1996. Extended Abstracts, pp. 180-183.
• J.Gravitis. Material Separation Technologies. - Proceedings of the Second Annual World Congress on Zero Emissions, May 29-31, 1996, Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA, Published by the UNU/IAS, Tokyo, Japan, 1996, pp. 168-173.
• J.Gravitis, T.Della Senta, E.D.Williams. The conversion of biomass into fuels, fibers asnd value added chemical products from the perspective of the zero emissions concept. - Proc. Symp.Biomass Conversion, Sapporo, Japan, October 26, 1997, pp. 1-18.
• J.Gravitis. Can biomasss replace oil fuels and petrochemicals? – Proc. Int. Symp. on "Towards Zero Emmissions: the Challenge for Hydrocarbons", EniTechnologie, Rome, Italy, March 11-13, 1999, pp. 95-106.
• Zandersons J., Kokorevics A., Gravitis J. Reduction of Amazon and Cerrado Deforestation Using Sugar Cane Bagasse as an Alternative Wood Source for Charcoal Production. Technological Feasibility Studies - UNU/IAS Working Paper No. 57, 1999, pp. 1-44.
• Gravitis J., Suzuki M. Biomass Refinery – A Way to Produce Value Added Products and Base for Agricultural Zero Emissions System – Proceedings of the International Conference on Agricultural Engineering for 21st Century. December 14-17, 1999, Beijing, P.R. China, pp. III-9 – III-22.
• J.Zandersons, J. Gravitis, A.Kokorevics, et al. Studies of the Brazilian sugarcane bagasse carbonisation process and products properties. - Biomass & Bioenergy, 1999, vol.17, N 3, pp. 210-219.
• Gravitis J. Forest and Agricultural Conversion into Biofuels and Chemical Products – Abstracts of the Symposium organized by the Science Council of Japan, February 16, 2000, Tokyo, Japan, pp. 2-3.
• N.Vedernikov, J.Zandersons, A.Kokorevics, J.Gravitis. Furfural and Levoglucosan as Building Blocks for Chemicals and polymers. - Proc. 6th European Workshop on Lignocellulosics and Pulp, Sept. 3-6, 2000, Bordeaux, France, pp. 645-648.
• J.Zandersons, N.Vedernikovs,  A.Kokorevics, J.Gravitis. Energy, material and chemicals flows in integrated zero emissions biomass refinery cluster. - Proc. 4th Int. Conf. on Environmental Impacts of the Pulp and Paper Industry, June 12-15, 2000, Helsinki, Finland, pp. 122-126.
• J.Gravitis, N.Vedernikovs, J.Zanderson, A.Kokorevics. Furfural and levoglucosan production from decideous wood and agricultural wastes. - In: Chemicals and Materials from Renewable Resources. Amer. Chem. Soc./, New Orleans, 2000, pp. 110-122.
• G.Shulga, G.Zakis, B.Neiberte, J.Gravitis. Synthesis and properties of novel polyelectrolyte on the basis of wood polymer. - In: Recent Advances in Environmentally Compatible Polymers /eds. J.Kennedy, G.Phillips, P.Williams/, 2001, Woodhead Publ. Ltd.: Cambridge, pp. 123-128.
• J.Gravitis. Biomass conversion trend towards biorefineries in Europe and world wide. - Proc. Biomass Symposium, Japan, 2003, pp. 11-18.
• J.Gravitis, A.Kokorevics, V.Ozols-Kalnins.   Biologically controlled determinism versus physical randomness as a two faces of lignin complexity in plant cell wall. - Proc. IAWS Meeting in 2003, Cesis, Latvia; 2004, Riga: Institute of Atomic Physics and Spectroscopy, University of Latvia, pp. 53-62.
• J.Gravitis, J.Zandersons, V.Ozols-Kalnins, A.Kokorevics. How can the Baltic Countries' resources be oriented towards sustainability? - In: Environmental Education, Communication and Sustainability, Vol. 15, "Integrative Approaches Towards Sustainability in the Baltic Sea Region" ( W.L.Filho and A.Ubelis- Eds.), 2004; Peter Lang Publ. House: Frankfurt am Main, Berlin, Bern, Bruxelles, New York, Oxford, Wien, pp. 67-85.
• O.Bikovens, J.Gravitis, K.Iiyama. Biomedification of lignocelluloses under composting environment and heavy metal binding by compost humic substances. - In: Environmental Education, Communication and Sustainability, Vol. 15, "Integrative Approaches Towards Sustainability in the Baltic Sea Region" ( W.L.Filho and A.Ubelis- Eds.), 2004; Peter Lang Publ. House: Frankfurt am Main, Berlin, Bern, Bruxelles, New York, Oxford, Wien, pp.439-444.
• J.Zandersons, J.Gravitis, A.Zhurinsh, A.Kokorevics, U.Kallavus, C.K.Suzuki. Carbon materials obtained from self-binding sugar cans bagasse and deciduous wood residues plastics. - Biomass & Bioenergy, 2004, vol. 26, pp. 345-360.
• J.Gravitis, J.Zandersons, N.Vedernikov, I.Kruma,V.Ozols-Kalnins. Clustering of bio-products technologies for zero emissions and eco-efficiency. - Industrial Crops & Products, 2004, vol. 20, Issue 2, pp. 169-180.
• U.Vainio, N.Maximova, B.Hortling, J.Laine, P.Stenius, L. K.Simola, J.Gravitis, R.Serimaa. Morphology of dry lignins and size and shape of dissolved lignin particles by x-ray scattering. - Langmuir, 2004, vol. 20, pp. 9736-9744.
• U. Vainio, R. Serimaa and J. Gravitis. X-Ray Scattering Methods in the Study of Soft Materials. - Latvian J. of Physics and Technical Sciences, 2006, N 4, pp. 14-24.
• J. Gravitis. Nano Level Structures in Wood Cell Wall Composites. - Cellulose Chem. Techn., 2006, vol.40, N 5, pp. 291-298 (Review).

• J.Gravitis. Green biobased chemistry platform for sustainability. - In: Environmental Education, Communication and Sustainability, Vol. ...,  , 2006; Peter Lang Publ. House: Frankfurt am Main, Berlin, Bern, Bruxelles, New York, Oxford, Wien, (accepted).

 

Last update 29.12.2006