Fields of Research

Timber, pulp and paper
Industrial and product design
Wood processing
Interaction and experience design
Construction materials
Structural engineering
Forestry product quality assessment
Architectural design
Sustainable architecture
Architecture
Engineering design
Design
Building information modelling and management
Agroforestry
Interior design
Architectural computing and visualisation methods
Forestry management and environment
Design history, theory and criticism
Architectural science and technology

Research Objectives

Timber materials
Hardwood plantations
Expanding knowledge in built environment and design
Wood sawing and veneer
Wood, wood products and paper
Wood products
Reconstituted timber products
Paper products and pulp
Other education and training
Commercial construction processes
Other construction
Technological and organisational innovation
Commercial construction design
Softwood plantations

Career Best Publications

Research Publications

Alignment of resources for higher quality production: change and challenges in alternative uses of fibre-grown E. nitens plantations; 12th Graduate Research Conference of University of Tasmania
Balsa as a “cash crop”: the experience of Papua New Guinean smallholder growers; Australia Forest Growers Biennial National Conference
Behavior of cross-laminated timber panels made from fibre-managed Eucalyptus nitens under short-term serviceability loads; Buildings
Bending performance of nail‑laminated timber constructed of fast‑grown plantation eucalypt; European Journal of Wood and Wood Products
Bifenthrin treatment for balsa: Susceptibility of Papua New Guinea-grown 2 Ochroma pyramidale to attack by Coptotermes acinaciformis (Blattodea: 3 Rhinotermitidae) in an Australian context; International Biodeterioration and Biodegradation
Characterisation of physical and mechanical properties of unthinned and unpruned plantation-grown Eucalyptus nitens H.Deane and Maiden lumber; Forests
Characterization of fibre-managed plantation Eucalyptus globulus for non-structural applications from Tasmania, Australia; Forest Products Society 72nd International Convention
Collaborative design education with industry: student perspective by reflection; Re: Research - the 2017 International Association of Societies of Design Research (IASDR) Conference
Contrasting similarities and differences between academia and industry: evaluating processes used for product development; DRS2016: Design + Research + Society - Future-Focused Thinking
Design innovation: a tool for value-adding to the Papua New Guinea balsa wood industry; Design for Business: Research Conference 2015
Design innovation: a tool for value-adding to the Papua New Guinea balsa wood industry; Journal of Design, Business and Society
Developing a New Generation of Tasmanian Appearance Hardwood Products for In-State Design and Manufacturing: Opportunity Analysis
Developing high-mass laminated flooring products from fibre-managed plantation hardwood
Embracing natural timber features of plantation hardwood: Material-aware digital workflows in product design and development; ASA2018: Engaging Architectural Science
Evaluation of non-destructive techniques and visual assessments of grade fibre-grown Eucalyptus logs for structural products; 21st International Non-destructive Testing and Evaluation of Wood Symposium
Flexural and visual characteristics of fibre-managed plantation Eucalyptus globulus timber; Wood Material Science and Engineering
Flexural performance of cross-laminated timber constructed from fibre-managed plantation eucalyptus; Construction and Building Materials
From the forest to products: how segregation systems will allow the characterisation of fibre-grown plantations for higher value production; 61st International Convention of Society of Wood Science and Technology and Japan Wood Research Society
From the forest to products: how segregation systems will allow the characterisation of fibre-grown plantations for higher value production; 2018 Society of Wood Science and Technology/Japan Wood Research Society International Convention
Grade-reducing features in timber products; New Zealand Journal of Forestry
Industrial Design in the Tasmanian Hardwood Industry; UQ Mini-Symposium on Digital Fabrication
Industry Collaboration: Opportunities for new Tasmanian solid-wood products; STEM State Future Forum
Industry feedback for academic product development: influencing design decisions; IASDR 2015 Congress
Janka hardness evaluation of plantation-grown Eucalyptus nitens for engineered flooring applications; Buildings
Machinability study of Australia’s dominate plantation timber resources; Forests
Manipulating Papua New Guinea Balsa by Design for Acoustic Absorption in the Built Environment; 2018 Society of Wood Science and Technology/Japan Wood Research Society International Convention
Mass timber alternatives in construction with plantation hardwoods; 2022 SWST International Conference
Mechanical properties of Papua New Guinea balsa wood; European Journal of Wood and Wood Products
Multi-disciplinary optimisation of nail-laminated timber-concrete composite panels constructed of fibre-managed plantation eucalypt; 61st International Convention of Society of Wood Science and Technology and Japan Wood Research Society
NCC 2016 & Mid-rise Timber Buildings; Australian Institute of Building Surveyors Tasmanian Chapter Conference
Neville Smith Forest Products
New Product Development for Papua New Guinea Balsa to Improve Smallholder Livelihoods
Optimizing Perception Oriented Classification of Sawn Boards from Fibre-Managed Plantation Resources; 2018 Society of Wood Science and Technology/Japan Wood Research Society International Convention
Papua New Guinea Observation Report ACIAR Project FST/2009/016
Products and Manufacturing in the Tasmanian Hardwood Industry; Centre for Forest Value Annual Roadshow
Research-led practice in design research used to best demonstrate design theories; 'Design's Big Debates', Design Research Society Conference
Short-term and long-term bending properties of nail-laminated timber constructed of fast-grown plantation eucalypt; Construction and Building Materials
Structural properties of Commercial Australian Plantation Hardwood CLT; Buildings
Study of the relationship between flatwise and edgewise modulus of elasticity of plantation fibre-managed E. nitens sawn boards; Construction and Building Materials
Study on the effect of finger joints on the stiffness of fibre-managed E. nitens sawn boards; Buildings
Testing the Thermal Properties of Loose-Fill Straw Insulation; InnoRenew CoE International Conference 2020: Integrating Sustainability and Health in Buildings through Renewable Materials
Thermal conductivity of Papua New Guinea balsa wood measured using the needle probe procedure; BioResources
Thermo-Hydro-Mechanical Treatment of Australian Sawlog and Pulplog Hardwood Resources; InnoRenew CoE International Conference 2020: Integrating Sustainability and Health in Buildings through Renewable Materials
TIA Future Forum Big Ideas: from plantation hardwood chip to sustainable buildings; TIA Future Forum
Use of non-destructive techniques to optimise the production of structural products from Eucalyptus plantations grown for fibre; XXV IUFRO World Congress
Visual stress grading of fibre-managed plantation Eucalypt timber for structural building applications; Construction and Building Materials
What is the Potential for Australia’s Plantation Hardwoods in Appearance Applications?; IUFRO Division 5 Conference 2017
What to do with structurally low-grade wood from Australia's plantation Eucalyptus; building application?; BioResources
Wood properties characterisation of thermo-hydro mechanical treated plantation and native tasmanian timber species; Forests

Research Projects

Developing a New Generation of Tasmanian Appearance Hardwood Products for In-State Design and Manufacturing; FWPA - National Institute for Forest Products Innovation (FWPA - NIFPI)
Increasing the durability and other material characteristics of Tasmanian hardwoods; FWPA - National Institute for Forest Products Innovation (FWPA - NIFPI)
Drying protocols for Tasmanian hardwood
Improving management options for eucalypt and acacia plantations in Vietnam and Indonesia
Neville Smith Forest Products Colour Project

Research Candidate Supervision