Raju Pokharel

Raju Pokharel is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Forestry at Michigan State University (MSU), affiliated with the College of Agriculture & Natural Resources. He specializes in Forest Resource Economics, Market and Forest Systems Analysis, and Natural Resources Management and Policy. His research focuses on forest product supply chains, feedstock availability, and carbon management strategies, particularly in the context of mass timber, bioenergy, and biochar production.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Forest Resources (2016), Mississippi State University
• MBA (2011), University of Sunderland, London, UK
• MS (2007) and BS (2005) in Environmental Sciences, Tribhuvan University, Nepal

Research Interests: Dr. Pokharel explores economic trade-offs in timber products under carbon management, evaluates market opportunities for emerging materials like mass timber, and analyzes forest carbon markets and payments. His work integrates spatial logistics, policy analysis, and sustainability frameworks to address challenges in forest resource utilization.

Grants & Awards:

• Recipient of the 2025 CANR Early Career Researcher Award
• 2025 Global Scholar in Research (CANR)
• Principal Investigator on an $800K grant studying interregional reliance and carbon program impacts on U.S. forest industries

Labs & Initiatives: He leads the Forest Economics and Resource Management (FERM) Lab, which supports research, teaching, and extension activities related to socioeconomics of forestry. His lab collaborates on projects involving bioenergy feasibility, mass timber market analysis, and carbon sequestration strategies.