Julie Cool

Julie Cool serves as Associate Professor and Associate Dean (pro tem) in the Department of Wood Science at the University of British Columbia's Faculty of Forestry, based at the Forest Sciences Centre in Vancouver, BC.

Her research centers on wood machining and process optimization across primary and secondary wood manufacturing sectors, with core focus on wood-tool interaction dynamics. She develops scientific models to enhance surface quality, product durability, and waste reduction while linking forest management practices to end-user needs. This work drives sustainable resource transformation through market-pull operations and wood property-based innovations, directly supporting local economies and the bioeconomy.

Dr. Cool leads multiple NSERC and industry-funded projects including modeling wood fracture mechanics in primary manufacturing, optimizing hem-fir transformation via x-ray CT imaging, and implementing big data analytics for veneer drying quality control. Her research bridges fundamental laboratory testing with industrial applications to foster innovation in wood processing technologies.