ABout US

Our Mission

Our Mission is to accelerate the growth of Nova Scotia’s low-carbon Bioeconomy, leading to increased environmental and economic prosperity for all Nova Scotians. We create and promote best-in-class, investment-ready conditions for the success of Bioeconomy firms and projects to execute this mission.

Innovation

Promoting and supporting innovation within Nova Scotia’s small and medium enterprises

Resilience

Advancing renewable feedstock supply chain efficiency

Collaboration

Fostering strong collaboration among all stakeholders

Development

Capitalizing on opportunities created by the growing global demand for low-carbon products and processes

Our Team

Our Team

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Rod Badcock

Rod is passionate about the Bioeconomy. He spent the beginning of his career in operational roles with Alberta Pacific Forest Industries and Bowater Mersey Paper Company where he specialized in forest management.

In addition to an MBA from Saint Mary’s University, Rod holds a Bachelor of Science in Forest Engineering from the University of New Brunswick.

Rod is also an entrepreneur and has been involved in the launch of several firms including a consulting business that supports product and process innovation in the forest industry.

Rod Badcock

Executive Director

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Greg Maloney

Greg Maloney is a founding partner of BioApplied, a lead consulting organization specializing in the commercialization of new innovation in the bio-resource sector. Greg has worked extensively in the field of nano-cellulose material technology, building industrial partnerships and supporting joint ventures for application and commercialization development. Prior to BioApplied, Greg held senior marketing, product development, and project management positions with Whirlpool Corporation and Domtar Inc.

Greg serves as an advisor to several companies developing or deploying new cleantech products and technologies. He is also a director on the board of BioIndustrial Innovation Canada, and serves on the audit and finance, and investment management committees.

He is a graduate of King’s College, at Western University, and continued studies at Indiana University through Whirpool Corporation’s management development program.

Greg Maloney

Strategic Advisor

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Ryan Duff

Ryan is constantly striving to combine business with environmental sustainability, and he does this by helping to bring products made from renewable resources to market. He has over 10 years of experience in a variety of fields, including banking, economic consulting, environmental non-profits, and renewable resource product and business development.

Ryan holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Finance from Dalhousie University, as well as a Master of Development Economics degree in Environmental Economics, also from Dalhousie.

Ryan Duff

Program Manager

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Tristin Mabey

Tristin is a true team player with a natural passion for storytelling, allowing her charismatic personality to flow through her work to engage audiences. Having previously worked in the not-for-profit sector, Tristin has a wealth of experience in supporting social and scalable startup entrepreneurship in various areas, including communications, human resources, and navigating the Atlantic Canadian innovation ecosystem.

Prior to completing the Business Administration program at the Nova Scotia Community College, Tristin spent time recruiting and marketing the International Business Program at Hanze University in the Netherlands.

Tristin Mabey

Communications & Administrative Associate

Our Board of Directors

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Allan Eddy

Allan Eddy joined Port Hawkesbury Paper in August 2018. At Port Hawkesbury Paper, he is responsible for business development, community and government relations and strategic forestry issues.

Previous to this position, he has served in senior executive roles in four Nova Scotia government departments, including Assistant Deputy Minister in the departments of Natural Resources, Agriculture and Fisheries & Aquaculture.

As a graduate of Natural Resource Management in Forestry from the University of New Brunswick, Allan has worked for both Federal and Provincial levels of government and the private sector over the past 39 years.

Allan has been involved with various aspects of policy development, sector issue management, and stakeholder liaison activities throughout his career. He has been deeply involved in change management and sector transition in the last several years, with a significant focus on innovation.

Allan was a driving force in establishing the Nova Scotia Innovation Hub and believes strongly that the emerging global bio-economy presents a significant opportunity for Nova Scotia’s renewable bio-resource sector and, by extension, rural economic development.

Allan Eddy

Chair

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Royden Trainor

Royden Trainor, QC, is a lawyer by training but a public policy innovator by inclination. Royden is the Senior Executive Advisor to the Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and was previously Senior Executive Director of Strategy and Corporate Policy for the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure and a similar role with the Department of Labour and Advanced Education.

Royden has been and continues to be at the forefront of significant public policy innovations and reforms thought his career, including the design and launch of a revolutionary new and independent Nova Scotia Community College and the launch of the Ontario College of Trades as its COO. In addition, he has led several major legislative and regulatory initiatives.

Royden draws significantly from his experience in senior positions in the private sector, working in both Canada and the United States education and training sectors, and extensive work in risk management, regulatory excellence, organizational empowerment and human rights topics on which he has published and spoken widely.

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Paul Owens

Paul has worked for various Departments and Agencies of the Government of Canada for the past 17 years. Currently he is the Manager of Resources for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) a Federal economic development agency for Canada’s four Atlantic Provinces.

Between 2011 and 2014 he held the position of Consul and Trade Commissioner with the Canadian Consulate in Los Angeles. His primary responsibility was investment attraction (both inbound and outbound) from Canada.

Prior to moving to Los Angeles from Halifax, Nova Scotia in August of 2011 to join the Consulate, he held various positions with the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency including: Manager of Client Services, Manager of the Canada-Nova Scotia Business Service Centre, and Senior Account Manager.

Prior to joining the Government of Canada most of Paul’s career was in public accounting including in Edmonton, New Zealand, and Australia and eight years as owner/operator of his own business consulting firm.

Paul holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Alberta, and is a member of Institute of Chartered Accountants of Canada and former member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of New Zealand.

Paul Owens

Treasurer
ACOA

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Beth Mason

Dr. Mason currently manages the Verschuren Centre Inc (VC), an independent research and demonstration centre, helping industry adapt and new companies develop their sustainable technologies. The centre’s focus is around biotechnology and renewable thermal energy. Beth came to Nova Scotia five years ago to build the bio-processing program at the centre, after working in alternative uses of dairy derivatives with Saputo Dairy Products Canada for 11 years, and running her own by-products logistics business. Her background brings a mix of industry, research, government and business approaches to problem solving in the Agri-food and marine industries, specifically by-product value extraction and production of functional ingredients for animal, human and plant health. The program activities range from bench through pilot bio-transformations and aims to assist companies with product development, process optimization and commercialization in the marine, aquaculture, and agri-food sectors. As CEO of the VC for the last three years, Dr. Mason and the energy team have expanded the VC engagement in renewable energy, specifically electrification of thermal demand, thermal energy conversion, recovery and storage. The VC is unique in its capacity to bring together large industry and community partners toward development and demonstrations of innovative clean tech solutions, and currently engages with companies involved in bioenergy, bio-oil, depolymerizations, polymer chemistry, carbon transformations, and the bioeconomy.

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Anne LeBrun Ruff

Anne is the Atlantic Provincial Leader for FPInnovations where she leads and secures new opportunities for partnerships with regional players, regional federal development agencies and existing and potential members. Anne is also the regional lead to deliver the FPInnovations Indigenous Forest Program. She is a Registered Professional Forester with over 20 years of experience in project management and forest operations, she provides hands-on applicable solutions to key endeavours. Anne has been active in the NS Innovation Hub since its inception and now represents FPInnovations on the Board. FPInnovations is proud to be part of this great team where the focus is on transformation and diversification of the Bioeconomy sector. The NS Innovation Hub benefits from FPInnovations’ Canada-wide expertise which offers full value chain solutions, from forest management to consumers.

Anne LeBrun Ruff

FPInnovations

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Peter Vinall

Mr. Vinall is a seasoned industry executive having started his career as an Electrical Engineer with Australian Paper in 1982. With over 30 years in the forest products and bio-energy industries he has held leadership positions in all continents except Africa and has practical experience across diverse functions within the forest products industry.

In the period of 2005 to 2012, Mr. Vinall led the transformation of three commodity pulp mills to specialty products. Two of these mills had been shuttered and today all the mills are operating and profitable in an otherwise challenging industry.

Significant prior roles include CEO for Fortress Specialty Cellulose in Quebec, Canada, President of Sateri Specialty Cellulose in Brazil and Singapore, President and CEO for AV Group in New Brunswick, Canada and VP Global Manufacturing for Norske Skog in Norway.

In 2013, Mr. Vinall founded Sustane Technologies Inc. to complete development and successfully commercialize a disruptive new technology that allows for complete separation of municipal solid wastes that are destined for landfilling. Mr. Vinall also acts as President of Sustane.

In addition to his engineering degree from Monash University, Melbourne, Australia, Mr. Vinall has an MBA from Tulane University, New Orleans, USA with distinction.

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Paul Richards

Paul Richards is the sector lead for Agri-technology for Innovacorp, Nova Scotia’s early-stage venture capital organization. Paul focuses on enabling knowledge-based companies to accelerate the commercialization of their technologies and to create a dynamic high-growth entrepreneur culture in Nova Scotia.

Since taking on this role Paul has worked to establish a growing ecosystem in Atlantic Canada capable of growing venture grade companies for the Agri-tech sector. His portfolio of early-stage start-ups has raised over $50 million dollars.

In addition, Paul servers as a Director for Bioenterprise, Canada’s leading national Agri-tech accelerator where he advises companies from across the country on commercialization and raising investment.

Paul Richards

Invest Nova Scotia

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Bruce Chapman

Bruce is the General Manager of Northern Pulp Nova Scotia Corporation. He joined the Pictou mill operations as a Process Engineer in 1996, held a number of progressively responsible management positions, and was promoted to the position of General Manager in October 2014.

As GM, Bruce is responsible for the entire mill including operations, maintenance, engineering and other services, as well as timberlands operations.

Bruce received his BSc, Chemical Engineering degree from the University of New Brunswick and his MSc, Materials Engineering from the University of Illinois. Prior to joining Northern Pulp, Bruce was employed at Stone Container Canada in Processing Engineering, Quality Control.

Bruce Chapman

Northern Pulp

Geoff Clarke, Director of Business Development at Port Hawkesbury Paper
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Geoff Clarke

Geoff Clarke is the Director of Business Development and a member of the Senior Management Team at Port Hawkesbury Paper. He provides strategic planning and implementation for both Economic Development and Woodlands activities at Port Hawkesbury Paper.

Mr. Clarke, a member of the Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation, holds Master's Degrees in both Business and Forestry from the University of Alberta. This is complemented by decades of industrial experience in the natural resource sector across various technical and senior management positions. He is a Registered Professional Forester who is also trained in Lean Six Sigma Process Improvement and Root Cause Investigative Analyses.

Mr. Clarke is currently a Director of the Forest Economic Task Force, the Cape Breton Partnership, the Nova Scotia Innovation Hub, and the Cape Breton Regional Enterprise Network. Mr. Clarke has held previous various Board roles including Chairman of the BioRefinery and BioEnergy Program Advisory Committee with FPInnovations; Chairman of Alberta’s Cellulosic NanoCrystal Provincial Working Committee; Chairman and National Director of the Canadian Institute of Forestry – Rocky Mountain Section; and President, College of Alberta Professional Foresters; and President, Resource Industry Suppliers Association.

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Dave Pickles

Dave Pickles was appointed Chief Operating Officer of Nova Scotia Power Inc. in September 2022 to oversee the operations of the company. His scope of responsibility includes Energy Delivery, Power Production, Energy and Risk Management, System Planning and Enterprise Asset Management.
Dave began his career at Nova Scotia Power over 20 years ago and has extensive power generation and energy delivery experience in both Canada and the US. Most recently, he served as Vice President of Electric Delivery for Tampa Electric. Dave and his family relocated to Tampa in 2018 and returned to Nova Scotia in August of 2022. Prior to Tampa Electric, Dave was Vice President of Operations for Emera Energy. He oversaw the operation of Emera Energy owned merchant power facilities in New England, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia.
Dave has a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Dalhousie University. He serves as a member of the Generation Council for Electricity Canada and is a former member of the Power Delivery Committee for the Association of Edison Illuminating Companies (AEIC). While living in Tampa, he served as board member of the Southeastern Electric Exchange (SEE), he was an active board member of the Hillsborough Education Foundation and is currently a board member of the Greenspring Bioinnovation Hub.

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Dave Pickles

Dave Pickles was appointed Chief Operating Officer of Nova Scotia Power Inc. in September 2022 to oversee the operations of the company. His scope of responsibility includes Energy Delivery, Power Production, Energy and Risk Management, System Planning and Enterprise Asset Management.
Dave began his career at Nova Scotia Power over 20 years ago and has extensive power generation and energy delivery experience in both Canada and the US. Most recently, he served as Vice President of Electric Delivery for Tampa Electric. Dave and his family relocated to Tampa in 2018 and returned to Nova Scotia in August of 2022. Prior to Tampa Electric, Dave was Vice President of Operations for Emera Energy. He oversaw the operation of Emera Energy owned merchant power facilities in New England, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia.
Dave has a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Dalhousie University. He serves as a member of the Generation Council for Electricity Canada and is a former member of the Power Delivery Committee for the Association of Edison Illuminating Companies (AEIC). While living in Tampa, he served as board member of the Southeastern Electric Exchange (SEE), he was an active board member of the Hillsborough Education Foundation and is currently a board member of the Greenspring Bioinnovation Hub.

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Michael Mullally

Content Here

Michael Mullally

Michelin North America

Our Investment Attraction Team

Suzanne Fraser - Invest Nova Scotia
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Suzanne Fraser

With an MBA in Strategy and a Certificate in Energy Innovation and Emerging Technologies, Suzanne Fraser work as an Investment Attraction Executive at Invest Nova Scotia, a crown corporation that supports strategic and innovative projects that advance the province's economic priorities. Suanne's role is to attract and support foreign and domestic investors in the clean technologies and life sciences sectors, two of the fastest growing and most impactful industries in the world.

Suzanne has over eleven years of experience in the international trade and development industry, and has developed a strong network of contacts and a deep understanding of the market opportunities and challenges in these fields. Her core competencies include business planning, analytical skills, project management, site selection and sales. Suzanne has successfully facilitated multiple investment projects in Nova Scotia, resulting in job creation, economic growth, and environmental benefits. She is passionate about promoting Nova Scotia as a destination of choice for innovative and sustainable businesses, and is always looking for new ways to connect and collaborate with potential and existing investors.

Suzanne Fraser

Invest Nova Scotia

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Paul Richards

Paul Richards is the sector lead for Agri-technology for Innovacorp, Nova Scotia’s early-stage venture capital organization. Paul focuses on enabling knowledge-based companies to accelerate the commercialization of their technologies and to create a dynamic high-growth entrepreneur culture in Nova Scotia.

Since taking on this role Paul has worked to establish a growing ecosystem in Atlantic Canada capable of growing venture grade companies for the Agri-tech sector. His portfolio of early-stage start-ups has raised over $50 million dollars.

In addition, Paul servers as a Director for Bioenterprise, Canada’s leading national Agri-tech accelerator where he advises companies from across the country on commercialization and raising investment.

Paul Richards

Invest Nova Scotia

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Blake Mann

Blake Mann is the Senior Industry Development Officer with the Atlantic Energy Office of ACOA. He has been with ACOA since 2004 fulfilling various positions in programs and policy. He spent four years on federal interchange with the Province of Nova Scotia as Director Trade and Investment at the Department of Economic Rural Development & Trade.

He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry from Mount Allison University and a Master of Business Administration from Dalhousie University. He is volunteer firefighter with Halifax Regional Fire & Emergency and holds the rank of Captain.

Blake Mann

ACOA

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Rany Ibrahim

Business Strategy, International Trade and Global Affairs Professional, Public Servant, Professor, Entrepreneur, and a Columnist. He is The Director of Economic Development and Trade with the Department of Lands and Forestry, as well as, The Chair and Project Manager of the Nova Scotia Interdepartmental Wood Heat Initiative Task Group. He is a member of the Nova Scotia Innovation Hub Investment Attraction Working Group. Rany is a Certified International Trade Professional (CITP/FIBP)®, as well as, in Strategic Workforce Planning (SWP)® and have international business experience in Private, NGO & Public Sectors strategic management with focus on International Trade, Investment Attraction, Project Management, Customer Relationship Management, Economic Development, and Government Relations. He worked as a Consultant with several Provincial and Federal Government Departments and Corporations as an expert on International Trade. His work experience includes working in an international diplomatic environment with IFI's and the World Bank Group. He also serves on various academic, community, and professional boards. He served as an Advisor on the Minister of Immigration Council, Governor on Cape Breton University Board of Governors, Senator on Dalhousie University Senate, Trustee on the Halifax Regional Library Board, Advisor, The Canadian Business Strategy Association, as well as, The International Institute of Marketing Professionals. He was involved as a freelance Columnist, Writer, Reporter, and Analyst and did interviews with CNN, BBC, CBC, Global and CTV and published articles with a variety of publications such as The Wall Street Journal, The Chronicle Herald, and Cape Breton Post. As an academic and part-time University Faculty, he teaches International Business Strategy, Strategy Formulation, Strategy Implementation, Global Marketing, and Managing People at Dalhousie University to BCOM, BMGMT, MBA, MPA, and MEC. He presented a wide range of academic papers at international conferences and served as a guest speaker and panellist on Economic Development, Politics, Public Policy, and Immigration topics. Rany received several awards for leadership and entrepreneurship and selected as a member of the Governor General’s Canadian Leadership Conference. He’s among Atlantic Canada’s 50 most inspiring entrepreneurial leaders under 40, Volunteer of the Year Award from both the Province of Nova Scotia and the City of Halifax and is a Top Canadian Immigrant Awards Winner. He is also recognized by the Nova Scotia House of Assembly for his various contributions and community involvement. He is passionate about immigration, human rights, freedoms, and democracy.

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Blair Clark

Blair Clark CPA, MBA, BSc has over 20 years experience of starting, growing and operating businesses. This has been done across a wide range of industry sectors including agriculture, manufacturing, nutraceutical and transportation and in varied roles including sales, finance and operations. Consistently, Blair uses innovation and technology to help commercialize start-up enterprises and expand existing companies in regional, national and international markets. While enjoying collaborating with his strong network of contacts within business, university, intergovernmental and international trade organizations, Blair is able to enhance his unique mix of strategic, financial, marketing and operational leadership strengths to add value to organizations.

Originally from Cape Breton and currently living in Halifax, with his wife and two sons, Blair has been heavily involved in community through charity and athletic organizational volunteering and especially enjoys offshore sailing/racing. Blair now works with the Department of Lands and Forestry as Manager, Innovation and Business Development.

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Rod Badcock

Rod is passionate about the Bioeconomy. He spent the beginning of his career in operational roles with Alberta Pacific Forest Industries and Bowater Mersey Paper Company where he specialized in forest management.

In addition to an MBA from Saint Mary’s University, Rod holds a Bachelor of Science in Forest Engineering from the University of New Brunswick.

Rod is also an entrepreneur and has been involved in the launch of several firms including a consulting business that supports product and process innovation in the forest industry.

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Greg Maloney

Greg Maloney is a founding partner of BioApplied, a lead consulting organization specializing in the commercialization of new innovation in the bio-resource sector. Greg has worked extensively in the field of nano-cellulose material technology, building industrial partnerships and supporting joint ventures for application and commercialization development. Prior to BioApplied, Greg held senior marketing, product development, and project management positions with Whirlpool Corporation and Domtar Inc.

Greg serves as an advisor to several companies developing or deploying new cleantech products and technologies. He is also a director on the board of BioIndustrial Innovation Canada, and serves on the audit and finance, and investment management committees.

He is a graduate of King’s College, at Western University, and continued studies at Indiana University through Whirpool Corporation’s management development program.

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Ryan Duff

Ryan is constantly striving to combine business with environmental sustainability, and he does this by helping to bring products made from renewable resources to market. He has over 10 years of experience in a variety of fields, including banking, economic consulting, environmental non-profits, and renewable resource product and business development.

Ryan holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Finance from Dalhousie University, as well as a Master of Development Economics degree in Environmental Economics, also from Dalhousie.

About our Stakeholders

The Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency is committed to building a stronger economy – together, as they work to create opportunities for economic growth in Atlantic Canada by helping businesses become more competitive, innovative and productive. ACOA works with diverse communities to develop and diversify local economies by championing the strengths of Atlantic Canada.

The Nova Scotia Innovation Hub is working closely with Dalhousie University’s Office of Commercialization and Industry Engagement. The office manages and facilitates collaborations between companies and university researchers, commercializes research, and assists in the creation of spin-off ventures.

Emera Inc. is a geographically diverse energy and services company headquartered in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Their strategic focus has been consistent for nearly 15 years— to safely deliver cleaner, affordable and reliable energy to our customers. Emera’s environmental priorities are fundamental to our strategy as they are driven to use less coal and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

FPInnovations is a private not-for-profit R&D organization that specializes in the creation of solutions that accelerate the growth of the Canadian forest sector and its affiliated industries to enhance their global competitiveness. Their expertise spans the pulp and paper industry, forest operations, wood products, and bio-sourced products sectors, with the forest industry at heart.

Invest Nova Scotia is the business development agency of Nova Scotia, Canada. They work to promote economic growth and community economic development in the province, supporting businesses small and large, new and new to Nova Scotia.

Northern Pulp is committed to building an environmentally and financial sustainable business in Nova Scotia. Through innovation and adaptability, Northern Pulp provides cellulose-based products at the lowest possible cost while enhancing the sustainability of their manufacturing operations and the well-being of the communities in which they operate.

The Department of Agriculture supports the development of competitive, sustainable and profitable agriculture and agri-business industries that contribute to the economic, environmental and social prosperity of Nova Scotia’s rural and urban communities.

The Department of Natural Resources and Renewables is responsible for the development, management, conservation and protection of the province’s forest, wildlife, mineral and energy resources.

Port Hawkesbury Paper strives to deliver the highest quality and most efficient super-calendered paper production in North America. Their goal is to provide long term sustainability and natural biodiversity for many ecological, social and cultural values while providing a stable and long-term wood supply and economic viability for both Port Hawkesbury Paper, local wood suppliers and sawmills.

Sustane Technologies imagines a future with fewer landfills. The clean-tech company is focused on waste transformation, having developed a set of disruptive processes to transform municipal solid waste streams into high-value fuels and recyclable materials.

The Verschuren Centre (VC) is an industrial solutions, development and deployment centre, advancing sustainable resource management in four key fields of expertise – Renewable energy, Bio-processing, Aquaculture and Nanomaterials. They are directly engaged with and responsive to industry and economic development needs, providing opportunities for process and product development, technology improvement, and enhancements in sustainability.