A global collaboration enhances bioeconomy research
An Austrian forest policy expert and a Virginia Tech sustainable biomaterials researcher are advancing global bioeconomy research through collaboration that links science, policy, and community impact.
(From left) Alice Ludvig and Pipiet Larasatie discuss their work in Hahn Horticulture Garden. Photo by Max Esterhuizen for Virginia Tech.
When it comes to finding solutions for a more sustainable future, collaboration across borders is essential. That spirit of global partnership is at the heart of a new research connection between Virginia Tech’s College of Natural Resources and Environment and the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU) in Vienna, Austria.
Alice Ludvig, a senior scientist at the BOKU Centre for Bioeconomy and a principal investigator in the Department of Social and Economic Sciences, recently visited Virginia Tech to strengthen her collaboration with Assistant Professor and Virginia Cooperative Extension Specialist Pipiet Larasatie in the Department of Sustainable Biomaterials. Ludvig is also a lead researcher with the European Forest Institute and is a principal investigator on several European Union-funded projects focused on bioeconomy, forest policy, rural innovation, and sustainable wood construction.
Building a bridge across continents
Ludvig’s visit to Blacksburg strengthened a partnership that began several years ago. The two met in 2018 while working with the International Union of Forest Research Organizations, a large network of forest scientists.
“This visit was about intensifying our collaboration,” Ludvig said. “Meeting face-to-face helps us move forward faster and with better quality. We’re already co-authoring a paper on forest transitions in sustainability transformations, and we’re preparing a joint proposal on wood construction and bioeconomy research.”
In addition to writing and proposal development, Ludvig and Larasatie co-hosted a virtual lab meeting with research partners from Oregon State University, the University of Georgia, and the University of Helsinki. Ludvig also met with Virginia Tech faculty and students and toured labs.
“I was welcomed so warmly and integrated from the first day,” she said. “This is a very dynamic workplace, and I’ve learned a lot from how Virginia Tech connects research with practice. I’d love to come back.”
Larasatie and Ludvig in Hahn Horticulture Garden. Photo by Max Esterhuizen for Virginia Tech.
Rooted in community and policy
Ludvig’s research explores how bioeconomy and forest policy can revitalize rural communities while supporting long-term sustainability. By examining innovation in rural regions, she identifies ways to strengthen local economies that depend on forest resources.
“We work to understand how policy can support forest transformation,” Ludvig said. “It’s about fostering biodiversity while ensuring sustainable timber productions for the future.”
Her work complements Larasatie’s applied research and outreach, which focus on sustainable biomaterials and community engagement. Together, their interdisciplinary approach connects the social, economic, and technological aspects of sustainability.
“At Virginia Tech, we listen to community needs, conduct research based on those needs, and then bring the findings back to inform practice,” Larasatie said. “It’s a continuous cycle that connects people and science.”
Their collaboration is just one example of the College of Natural Resources and Environment’s mission to integrate policy, innovation, and hands-on research to advance environmental stewardship and sustainable natural resource use.
From Blacksburg to Vienna and beyond
Hosting international scholars like Ludvig strengthens the college’s reputation as a hub for global collaboration in environmental science and sustainability.
Larasatie said face-to-face interactions allow for deeper exchanges that go beyond academic partnership.
“You can only convey so much through email or online meetings,” Larasatie said. “Having Alice here allows for richer conversations and shared learning from our research labs to our local communities.”
While in Blacksburg, Ludvig engaged fully with the Virginia Tech community. She met faculty in the Hahn Horticulture Garden, joined informal discussions about international research partnerships, and attended her first Virginia Tech football game.
“It’s inspiring to see how the community supports the university and how people work together,” Ludvig said. “There’s so much to learn from these connections.”
