Edmund Mupondwa PhD

Dr. Edmund Mupondwa is Adjunct Professor, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Saskatchewan and specializes in engineering economics, biosystems technoeconomic analysis and life cycle assessment of bioproducts and bioprocesses. He is also a Project Leader/Research Scientist (Bioproducts and Bioprocesses, Clean Technology) at the Saskatoon Research and Development Centre (Science and Technology Branch, AAFC, Government of Canada).

He is nationally recognized for his interdisciplinary expertise and is widely consulted by public and private sector leadership, science colleagues, academia, industry, and other stakeholders. Dr. Mupondwa provides scientific leadership in engineering economics, biosystems technoeconomic analysis and life cycle assessment of biorefinery concepts in the context of the circular economy. His work includes multidisciplinary scientific research related to the bio-based feedstocks, materials, and technologies for advancing the biorefinery concept within the context of circular economy.

Dr. Mupondwa’s interdisciplinary programs as an integral component of the scientific discovery process include:
• Technoeconomic process design, optimization, and scale-up of bio-based feedstock conversion technologies (including biochemical and thermochemical conversion pathways) for lipid and lignocellulosic feedstock utilization for biorefinery application within the circular economy.
• Optimization of the array of steps spanning bio-based feedstock procurement and pretreatment, supply chain logistics, and efficient integration into the biorefinery concept to support the development of business cases for long-term utilization of bio-based materials for the bioeconomy.
• Life cycle assessment of the environmental performance of bio-based materials, associated conversion technologies, and bioproducts in the context of the circular economy.

Dr. Mupondwa also serves as theme leader scientist and steering committee member of several multinational/multi-institutional/multidisciplinary research consortia, working groups, and advisory teams, as well as contributing to the development of numerous science and innovation strategies for advancing the bioeconomy. This includes:
a) Bioeconomy Strategy;
b) Agri Bioproducts Innovation Program;
c) Circular Economy Strategy, including organizing the first Transformative Workshop on Circular Economy which led to the integration of Circular Economy as one of four science strategies for public sector scientific research and development vis-à-vis the bioeconomy;
d) Clean Technology Strategy;
e) Climate Change Roadmap.

Dr. Mupondwa received the Deputy Minister Commendation Award for contribution to the development of the federal Climate Change Roadmap resulting in Canada’s unprecedented $1 billion Emissions Reduction Plan. Dr. Mupondwa’s leadership and management skills are augmented by an MBA from the Edwards School of Business, University of Saskatchewan, Canada.

Dr. Mupondwa pioneered and teaches a graduate course in technoeconomic analysis and life cycle assessment of bioproducts and bioprocesses (BLE898) in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering. He also supervises a number of MSc and PhD students and serves on the Graduate Advisory Committee.

Dr. Mupondwa is a member of the Canadian Society for Bioengineering (CSBE), the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineering (ASABE), and the American Oil Chemist Society (AOCS). He also serves as reviewer for numerous scientific journals.

Dr. Mupondwa is a graduate of the University of Zambia (Bachelor’s degree), University of Manchester, England, UK (Master’s degree), University of Manitoba, Canada (PhD), and University of Saskatchewan Edwards School of Business, Canada (MBA).

• Instructs the graduate course BLE 898: Techno-economic Analysis and Life Cycle Assessment of Bioproducts and Bioprocesses
• Co-supervises four graduate students with Dr. Lope Tabil