Dr. Mathew Leitch

Dr. Mathew Leitch is a Wood Science and Forest Products Professor at Lakehead University in the Faculty of Natural Resources Management in Thunder Bay. Dr. Leitch has been at LU for 20 years as a Professor and is the Chair of the HBScF program. He gained his BScF and MScF from the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton New Brunswick, and his PhD from Melbourne University in Australia. Following a 10-year stint in Australia completing his PhD and working at Melbourne University as a senior researcher and Professor he moved to LU. His main research interests are in the areas of Wood Quality, inherent properties of trees and creating whole tree property maps as well as tree property maps at the landscape scale. Other research areas include biomass for energy and heating systems, utilization of under-utilized tree species, working with Indigenous Communities on wood product and energy opportunities, and collaborating with other faculties where wood is used in research, such as Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering and Business. Dr. Leitch has received many awards over the years relating to his research and is active in international work mainly on the African continent (South and West Africa).