When PhD student Houman Ganjali takes a break from his projects at the Wood Innovation Research Laboratory, he turns to natural philosophy and finds inspiration in the words of the late theoretical physicist Dr. Richard Feynman, “there is pleasure in finding things out.” What Houman is focused on is to figure out  how we can incorporate point supported cross-laminated timber (CLT), into building designs in new and innovative ways. Recently, Houman earned the Catherine Lalonde Memorial Scholarship, a prestigious national scholarship from the Canadian Wood Council recognizing both academic excellence and innovative research in sustainable construction. The highly competitive award is open to master’s and doctoral students across Canada and recognizes outstanding achievement in the field of wood engineering. “I am truly honored to receive this reputable award,” Houman says, recognizing his supervisor, Dr. Thomas Tannert, and support from UNBC and the UNBC Wood Innovation Research Laboratory.”