The Marcus Wallenberg Prize Symposium

Wood made to last

October 20, 2026, 09.00–13.00 CET

Welcome to the Marcus Wallenberg Prize Symposium

The theme of this year’s symposium is Wood made to last. A distinguished selection of speakers will deliver presentations on wood modification technologies, from scientific, regulatory, and business perspectives.

The 2026 MWP Laureate, Prof. Holger Militz, will give a keynote presentation at the symposium.  Prof. Holger Militz is awarded the 2026 Marcus Wallenberg Prize for his groundbreaking contributions to research on, and industrialization of wood modification technologies. Prof. Militz’s groundbreaking work has directly enabled the commercialization of several sustainable wood protection technologies.

Very welcome!

Marcus Wallenberg,
Chairman of the Marcus Wallenberg Foundation

Event details

REGISTER HERE

Date: October 20, 2026, at 09.00–13.00 CET

The digital symposium attendance is free of charge and open for everyone.

Registration to be made by October 19, 2026.

A recording of the symposium will be distributed to registered persons after the event.

The Marcus Wallenberg Prize

The purpose of the Prize is to recognize, encourage and stimulate pathbreaking scientific achievements which contribute significantly to broadening knowledge and to technical development within the fields of importance to forestry and forest industries.

Learn more: mwp.org

Agenda

Block 1

Scientific focus moderated by Ingo Burgert

09.00-09.05

Welcome speech Marcus Wallenberg, Chairman

09.05-09.10

Introduction by Ingo Burgert, Professor  ETH Zurich

09.10-09.25
Overview of wood research in Europe
Andreja Kutnar, InnoRenew
09.25-10.00
Wood modification from lab scale to industrial application
Holger Militz, 2026 MWP Laureate
 
10.00-10.15

Why is there a need to modify wood? Wood-water interaction
Emil Thybring, University of Copenhagen

10.15-10.30

Methods – How to characterize the success of modification treatments
Callum Hill, JCH Industrial Ecology Ltd

10.30-10.40​

Announcement of winner 3MT
Tahani Kaldéus, The Marcus Wallenberg Foundation

10.40-11.40​

Pause and poster session

Block 2
Modified wood use cases moderated by Joris van Acker
11.40-11.55
Understanding fungal decay and how modified wood resists degradative processes
Barry Goodell, Professor Emeritus, University of Maine, and University of Massachusetts
11.55-12.10
Circular Timber Construction
Catherine De Wolf, Assistant Professor of Circular Engineering for Architecture, ETH Zurich
 
12.10-12.25
Acetylation
John Alexander, Accoya
 
12.25-12.40
The ThermoWood story
Jukka Ala-Viikari, International ThermoWood Association
 
12.40-12.55
Furfurylation
Paul Clegg, Kebony
 
12.55-13.00
Summary
 
13.00
Lunch & networking
 
For more information
Shiva Telavari, Coordinator of the Marcus Wallenberg Foundation
Mail: shiva.telavari@mwp.org Tel: +46 72 572 58 50.
 

The purpose of the Prize is to recognize, encourage and stimulate pathbreaking scientific achievements which contribute significantly to broadening knowledge and to technical development within the fields of importance to forestry and forest industries.
Learn more: mwp.org