47th Symposium on Biomaterials, Fuels and Chemicals – Conference Wrap-Up

As we look forward to the 2026 SBFC meeting in a few short months, let’s take a look back at what happened last year.

What an outstanding few days we had in Milwaukee for SBFC 2025! Given the challenges with travel in the current climate, I was truly moved by every attendee’s commitment to being there. The dedication to this community and to advancing the bioeconomy speaks volumes about the passion and resilience that defines our field.

Professor Michelle O’Malley’s keynote address perfectly captured the spirit of innovation that drove this meeting. Her presentation on the newly established NSF ExFAB BioFoundry opened exciting new horizons for our community. The potential of this first-of-its-kind anaerobic biofoundry to accelerate research on extreme and exceptional microbes represents a transformative opportunity. For those of us working on everything from novel enzyme discovery to sustainable chemical production, the ExFAB facility offers unprecedented access to automated workflows and specialized instrumentation designed specifically for the “weird” microbes that hold so much biotechnological promise. I was particularly excited to see the enthusiastic discussions about potential collaborations that continued well beyond her talk.

The special session highlighting the Midwest Bioeconomy was especially fitting for our Milwaukee location. This region has been the backbone of American industrial fermentation and agricultural processing for generations, and it was inspiring to celebrate both the historical contributions and emerging innovations from Midwestern companies. From the early days of industrial ethanol production to today’s cutting-edge biomanufacturing facilities, the Midwest continues to demonstrate how regional strengths in agriculture, manufacturing infrastructure, and technical expertise can drive the bioeconomy forward. Holding this session in Milwaukee—a city with deep roots in brewing and fermentation—felt like coming home to where so much of our field’s industrial heritage began.
I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to our Program Committee for putting together such a thoughtful and forward-looking program. The 15 technical sessions spanning cellular and process engineering, feedstock utilization, and biomaterials truly captured the breadth and cutting edge of our field. The addition of the synthetic biology for space exploration session showed how our community continues to push boundaries in unexpected directions. To all the topic area chairs and session conveners who worked tirelessly to shape these sessions—your vision and dedication made this conference exceptional.

Finally, thank you to everyone who made the journey to Milwaukee despite the travel difficulties. Your presence made all the difference. The hallway conversations, the poster sessions, the late-night discussions—these are what make SBFC special. I hope you had a chance to explore some of what Milwaukee has to offer, from its renowned brewery scene to its vibrant cultural institutions.

See you in New Orleans for SBFC 2026!
Dr. Benjamin M. Woolston, PhD
2025 SBFC Program Chair