The Fiber and Biopolymer Research Institute is integral in helping graduate students make their way in the research world of cotton and biopolymers. We currently have 13 Graduate Research Assistants under five faculty members. We would like to take this opportunity to highlight the students and the research they are working on.

My name is Houra Farkhondehnia. I hold a master’s degree in Textile Engineering from Amirkabir University of Technology in Iran. Currently, I am pursuing a PhD in the Department of Plant and Soil Science at Texas Tech University. I am conducting my research at the Fiber and Biopolymer Research Institute (FBRI), under the supervision of Dr. Noureddine Abidi, where I focus on transforming cotton linter, which is not suitable for textile industry, into valuable bioproducts. Cellulose is one of the most valuable polymers on Earth.

My name is Amir, Ph.D. student at the Fiber and Biopolymer Research Institute under the supervision of Dr. Noureddine Abidi. My Ph.D. program is focused on employing biowaste (like cotton cellulose linters) for fundamental and applied research for a variety of applications such as environmental remediation, separations, and medically relevant materials for controlled drug delivery systems and tissue engineering purposes, etc. My research for this program mainly involves conversion of biomasses into valuable products such as fibers, films, and 3D-printed materials using high-pressure CO2-reactor technologies which has been considered as a green and environmentally friendly process. It goes without saying that in a society where the environmental concern is increasing, replacing petroleum-based synthetic polymers with eco-friendly natural polymers has found significant importance thanks to renewability, sustainability, biocompatibility, and biodegradability, and I have found this research field very useful and important for the public and scientific society as well as the industry

My name is Reshma Panackal Shibu, a Ph.D. student from India. I am currently working as a Graduate Research Assistant in the Department of Plant and Soil Science at the Fiber and Biopolymer Research Institute, under the supervision of Dr. Julia Shamshina. My research is centered on developing sustainable and economically viable methods for extracting chitin nanowhiskers from various types of biomasses and exploring their applications in reinforcing plastics. I recently had a paper accepted by the Sustainable Chemistry journal titled "Sustainable Production of Chitin Nanowhiskers from Crustacean Biomass Using Cost-Effective Ionic Liquids: Strategies to Avoid Byproduct Formation".

I am Derseh Yilie Limeneh from Ethiopia. I completed my BSc and MSc degrees in the Department of Textile Engineering at Bahir Dar University, where I have also been working for more than six years. In Spring 2024, I enrolled at Texas Tech University as a PhD student in the Department of Plant and Soil Science, concentrating on Fiber and Biopolymer under the guidance of Dr. Kalavathy Rajan. My doctoral research, conducted within the Advanced Agro-based Manufacturing team, focuses on utilizing agricultural biomass, specifically cotton stalks and sorghum stover, to produce sustainable, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective biomaterials suitable for packaging and various other applications. This research aims to address climate change by replacing unfavorable materials with biobased alternatives and facilitating the development of a green and circular economy. Currently, I am working on the physio-chemical, compositional analysis and fractionation of cotton stalks, along with reviewing relevant literature in this area. My long-term goal is to contribute significantly to mitigating climate change and promoting sustainable development through the creation of biobased materials.

I am Rebekah Ortiz and am pursuing my masters under the advisement of Dr. Brendan Kelly. As a result of attending Texas Tech University, working at Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, and growing up on the Southern High Plains, I discovered a passion for cotton agronomy. The decrease in nonrenewable resources and ever-increasing input costs have led to growers desiring systems that are economically and agronomically viable. I will evaluate cotton physiology, cotton lint yield, weed pressure, and economic feasibility across the Southern High Plains on a variety of row spacings and seeding rates.

I am Faisal Rahman, an international student from Bangladesh. I started my journey at Texas Tech University in Fall of 2023 to pursue my MS degree in the Plant and Soil Science department under the guidance of Dr. Noureddine Abidi. My research work focuses on the conversion of cottonseed meal into valuable and eco-friendly bioproducts.

I am Susmita Saha from Bangladesh, currently pursuing a full-time masters degree at Texas Tech University, majoring in Plant and Soil Science with a concentration in fiber and biopolymers. In addition to my coursework, I am involved in research under the supervision of Dr. Noureddine Abidi and Dr. Christopher Turner at the Fiber and Biopolymer Research Institute. My research focuses on cotton fiber-to-fiber friction. I am investigating the relationships between commonly measured quality parameters of cotton fibers and fiber-to-fiber friction, as well as the influence of fiber’s surface chemistry on this friction. Additionally, I am examining how fiber-to-fiber friction impacts yarn quality.

My name is Turna Basak, and I am from Bangladesh. I started my MS studies in the Plant and Soil Science Department, Fiber, and Biopolymer Research Institute (FBRI), at Texas Tech University in the Summer of 2023. My research, under the guidance of Dr. Julia L. Shamshina, involves using biopolymers, especially chitin, to prepare cell culture matrices for tissue engineering and regeneration applications. I've recently had a paper accepted by the Pharmaceutics journal titled "Design of Chitin Cell Culture Matrices for 3D Tissue Engineering: Importance of Chitin Types, Solvents, Cross-linkers, and Fabrication Techniques".

This is Akhiri Zannat. I am from Bangladesh. Currently, I am enrolled in the master’s degree program in the Department of Plant and Soil Science. I am also working as a research assistant at the Fiber and Biopolymer Research Institute under the supervision of Dr. Julia L. Shamshina. My present work focuses on extracting chitin, a biopolymer, from fungal sources and investigating the potential applications of the extracted material.

I'm Hendri, a masters student researcher at the Advanced Agro-based Manufacturing Lab under Dr. Kalavathy Rajan. I am developing cellulosic packaging from wastepaper using ionic liquids. I also assess the sustainability of cellulosic packaging through life cycle assessments. Committed to advancing environmental sustainability, my research aims to create innovative packaging solutions for a greener planet.

I am Khusboo Agrawal from Nepal, a graduate student under the supervision of Dr. Kalavathy Rajan with the concentration in Fiber and Biopolymer Research in the Plant and Soil Science Department at Texas Tech University. My master’s research, conducted in the Advanced Agro-based Manufacturing lab, focuses on investigating the impact of cellulosic packaging on soil texture, structure, and soil nutrient cycling. This research aims to provide insights into sustainable agriculture system, mitigating climate change, and promoting environmental sustainability by replacing chemical fertilizers with biobased soil amendments. Currently, I am mastering advanced chromatographic and spectrometric techniques for soil characterization. As a part of the Summer Cotton Ink Project, I will be analysing herbicide residues in aeolian sediments from four counties in West Texas to understand the off-target movement of herbicides due to wind erosion. This project aims to develop a database quantifying herbicide level in eroded sediments. My long-term goal is to develop sustainable agricultural practices that enhance crop quality and yield through the incorporation of the biobased soil amendments.

Join us for this year's Texas International Cotton School. The Lubbock Cotton Exchange, in conjunction with The Fiber & Biopolymer Research Institute and Texas Tech University, is proud to host the 43rd session of the Texas International Cotton School. This session will be held August 5-15, 2024 in Lubbock, Texas.

The Cotton School is uniquely structured to provide an integrated understanding of the Texas cotton industry and how it interacts with the global cotton/textile complex. Register to attend this intensive two-week educational course on cotton and textiles that provides experience, knowledge, and insight into future developments affecting global markets. Join professionals from around the world and interact with top cotton experts. Please visit our website to learn more and to register for this course. www.texasintlcottonschool.com

Fiber & Biopolymer Research Institute

1001 East Loop 289 Lubbock, TX, 79403

806-742-5333