BVL Student Wins University of Benin Seed Grant for Sustainable Paper Recycling Project

We are proud to announce that Emmanuel Edoh, a master's student affiliated with the Bioresources Valorization Laboratory at the University of Benin, has been selected as a recipient of the Pilot Seed Grant for Research-Driven Innovation, administered by the University’s Directorate of Research, Innovation and Development (DRID).This highly competitive grant recognizes Emmanuel's outstanding research proposal titled: “Toward a Sustainable Paper Economy: Recycling of University Paper Waste into Usable Paper through Pulping and Deinking Optimization.”

The project, supervised and incubated within the Bioresources Valorization Lab, aims to develop a campus-based model for recycling office and academic paper waste into usable paper through optimized chemical and mechanical pulping techniques. The research will not only reduce the university’s dependence on virgin paper but will also serve as a proof-of-concept for circular resource systems within educational institutions.

“This award reflects the quality of research mentorship and the commitment of our lab to solving real-world sustainability challenges through chemical engineering and resource valorization,” said the Principal Investigator of the Bioresources Valorization Laboratory.

The DRID grant will be disbursed in two phases, with the first supporting the early stages of experimental work, and the second tranche contingent on progress milestones. The project will culminate in a peer-reviewed journal publication and a policy brief contributing to sustainable resource management in Nigeria’s higher education sector. This milestone reinforces the Bioresources Valorization Lab’s vision of equipping the next generation of chemical engineers with the tools to turn waste into wealth and knowledge into impact. Emmanuel’s project exemplifies the lab’s focus on research that is both scientifically rigorous and socially relevant. We congratulate Emmanuel on this achievement and look forward to supporting the successful execution and dissemination of this important work.