Dr Bernie Dawson

Scientist and Team Manager

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About

Bernard is a lead scientist in wood processing. He has many years of experience in coatings and surface technologies that improve the performance of wood in service. Bernard’s current research is focused on supercritical fluid dewatering of radiata pine and antimicrobial packaging. He also manages the Wood and Fibre science team, who are developing new manufacturing technologies and bioproducts based on New Zealand-grown radiata pine.

Qualifications

Dip Bus Admin, Massey University, NZ -1997
PhD (Chemistry), University of Canterbury, NZ -1982
BSc (Hons) (Chemistry), University of Canterbury, NZ -1977

Research capabilities

Research in a range of wood and surface technology areas:

  • Dewatering of green radiata using supercritical carbon dioxide.
  • Photostabilisation of radiata pine wood surfaces for exterior service.
  • Influence of texture and coating type on weathering performance of coated wooden products.
  • Chemical modification of radiata pine wood cell walls.
  • Use of microscopic techniques to characterise the wood-coating interface.

Career highlights

  • Member of the International Organising Committees for the All Division 5 IUFRO Conferences in Rotorua (2003) and Taipei 2007.
  • Elected as Fellow in the International Academy of Wood Scientists in 2008.
  • Invited to the Editorial Board of J. Coatings Technology and Research, 2008.
  • Research and travel awards from the Royal Society of New Zealand within the International Science and Technology Linkages (ISAT) Programme. Recipient of three such awards since 1992 to develop and strengthen research collaboration with German scientists.

Selected papers

Adya P Singh, Uwe Schmitt, Bernard SW Dawson, and Catherine Rickard; 2009 Biomodification of Pinus radiata wood to enhance penetrability.  NZ Journal Forestry Science 39, 141-151

Dawson, Bernard S.W., Adya P. Singh, Hank W. Kroese, Michael A. Schwitzer, Suzanne Gallagher, Stephen J. Riddiough, Shuhong Wu.  2008.  Enhancing exterior performance of clear coatings through photostabilisation of wooden surfaces.  Part 1: Treatment and characterisation. J. Coatings Technol. Res., 5(2): 193-206.

Dawson, Bernard S.W., Adya P. Singh, Hank W. Kroese, Michael A. Schwitzer, Suzanne Gallagher, Stephen J. Riddiough, Shuhong Wu, 2008.  Enhancing exterior performance of clear coatings through photostabilisation of wood.  Part 2: Coating and weathering performance. J. Coatings Technol. Res., 5(2): 207-219.

Singh, Adya P., Anni Ratz and Bernard S.W. Dawson.  2007.  A novel method for high resolution imaging of coating distribution within a rough-textured plywood surface. J. Coatings Technol. Res., 4: 207-210

Dawson, B S W; Singh, A P; Ward, J V; Hands, K D; Smolic, T; Singh, A; 2007. Texture of wooden surfaces before and after coating. Surface Coatings Australia 43(10): 14-18.

Singh, A.P. and B.S.W. Dawson. 2006. Microscopic assessment of the effect of rough-textured Pinus radiata plywood surface on the distribution of a film-forming acrylic stain. J. Coatings Technol. Res. 3(3):193-201.