Rate My Professor Maobing Tu

Maobing Tu is a Professor in the Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering at the University of Cincinnati, with expertise in bioprocess engineering and bioenergy within the engineering field. He holds two PhDs: one from East China University of Science and Technology in 2001 and another in Forestry Bioenergy from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver in 2007. After his doctoral training, Tu held an NSERC Industry R&D Fellowship postdoctoral position at FPInnovations, Paprican Division, in Canada from 2007 to 2008. His academic appointments include Assistant Professor at Auburn University from 2008 to 2013, Associate Professor at Auburn University from 2013 to 2015, Associate Professor at the University of Cincinnati from 2015 to 2021, and promotion to full Professor in 2021. He currently serves as Associate Head of the Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering.

Tu's research interests center on developing cost-effective bioprocesses for producing biofuels, chemicals, and biomaterials from renewable resources and waste materials. His specializations include biomass processing chemistry, biofuels and bioenergy, bioprocess engineering, yeast and bacterial metabolomics, microbiome engineering, and environmental biotechnology. He has been honored with the National Science Foundation CAREER Award from 2013 to 2018 and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Industry R&D Fellowship Award from 2007 to 2008. Tu has published more than 60 peer-reviewed papers, supported by grants from NSF, DOE, and EPA. Key publications encompass "The strong association of condensed phenolic moieties in isolated lignins with their inhibition of enzymatic hydrolysis" (Green Chemistry, 2016), "Acetone–butanol–ethanol production from Kraft paper mill sludge by simultaneous saccharification and fermentation" (Bioresource Technology, 2016), "Substituent Effect of Phenolic Aldehydes Inhibition on Alcoholic Fermentation by Saccharomyces cerevisiae" (Energy & Fuels, 2016), "Detoxification of biomass hydrolysates with nucleophilic amino acids enhances alcoholic fermentation" (Bioresource Technology, 2015), "Contrasting effects of hardwood and softwood organosolv lignins on enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulose" (Bioresource Technology, 2014), and "Inhibitory activity of carbonyl compounds on alcoholic fermentation by Saccharomyces cerevisiae" (Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2014). These contributions have advanced sustainable bioenergy production through improved enzymatic hydrolysis, inhibitor detoxification, and fermentation efficiency.