Chris Saffron

Chris Saffron is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Forestry at Michigan State University (MSU), with a focus on biofuels and lignin upgrading. He holds a PhD (2005) and BS (1995) in Chemical Engineering from MSU. His expertise includes process synthesis, techno-economic analysis of catalytic strategies, and pyrolysis/electrocatalysis for biofuel production. He has received multiple teaching awards, including the 2014 CANR Excellence in Teaching Award and repeated Withrow Awards for teaching excellence in Biosystems Engineering.

Research interests center on converting biomass into sustainable fuels and chemicals through pyrolysis, electrocatalysis, and techno-economic modeling. His publications emphasize lignin valorization, bio-oil upgrading, and biochar production. Recent work explores decentralized biofuel systems and the environmental impacts of biomass conversion. He is affiliated with MSU’s College of Agriculture & Natural Resources and collaborates across disciplines in chemical engineering and environmental science.

• Awards: Over five teaching awards, including Pi Mu Epsilon membership (1995).
• Labs/Teams: Collaborates with Green Bioproducts Science & Engineering Lab and other MSU interdisciplinary groups.