Research Partnerships & Methodology Development

Research collaboration and methodology development partnerships with universities, standards bodies, and research institutions advancing forest carbon science and remote sensing applications.

Is This For You?

This service supports:

  • University researchers conducting applied research in forest carbon or remote sensing
  • Carbon market standards bodies (VCS, CAR, Gold Standard) developing new methodologies
  • Research consortia requiring industry partnership and operational data access
  • National laboratories (DOE, USDA Forest Service Research) bridging research to practice
  • W3C community groups and standards organizations developing data specifications

Research Collaboration Needs

Research-Practice Gap

Academic research often struggles to translate findings into operational tools that meet industry verification requirements. Bridging this gap requires practitioners who understand both research rigor and commercial constraints.

Access to Operational Data

Applied forest carbon research requires access to commercial forest inventory data, carbon project documentation, and investment decision data that academics typically cannot access independently.

Methodology Adoption Barriers

Developing new carbon accounting methodologies or remote sensing approaches requires navigating standards body approval processes and industry adoption barriers.

Grant Cost-Share Requirements

Federal research grants often require industry cost-share or partnership. Finding industry partners with relevant technical expertise and research interest can be challenging.

How Arbos Supports Research

Publication Track Record

30+ peer-reviewed publications on forest biomass, remote sensing, and supply chain optimization demonstrate research productivity and expertise. Publications span academic journals including Remote Sensing of Environment, Forest Ecology and Management, and Biomass & Bioenergy.

Methodology Development Experience

Author of VCS methodology for measuring above-ground live forest biomass using remote sensing, approved by Verified Carbon Standard in 2015 and adopted internationally. This demonstrates experience translating research into verified protocols.

Standards Development Leadership

Chair of W3C BOOST (Biomass Open Origin Standard for Tracking) Community Group, facilitating collaboration between researchers, industry, and standards bodies to develop open-source data standards.

Industry Data and Networks

Access to investment analytical datasets, forest carbon project documentation, and operational forestry data through consulting practice. Professional networks span investors, project developers, technology companies, and agencies.

Relevant Capabilities

Academic Background

  • PhD in Geography, University of California, Davis (2011)
    • Dissertation: “Aerial Laser Scanning: Applications for Forest Biomass Management”
  • Business Development Fellowship, UC Davis Graduate School of Management (2010-2011)
  • B.A. in Environmental Studies, University of California, Santa Cruz (1999)
  • 30+ peer-reviewed publications in forest science and remote sensing journals
  • Ongoing academic collaborations with UC Berkeley (Matthew Potts, Chief Science Officer at Carbon Direct)

Collaboration Models

Research Co-Authorship

  • Joint publication on forest carbon, remote sensing, or supply chain topics
  • Contribution of industry datasets and operational expertise
  • Co-PI or senior personnel roles on research grants
  • Manuscript review and technical editing

Methodology Co-Development

  • Joint development of carbon accounting methodologies for standards bodies
  • Field validation of remote sensing approaches in operational settings
  • Integration of research innovations with verification requirements
  • Documentation and protocol writing for standards approval

Standards Development

  • BOOST community group leadership and facilitation
  • Technical committee participation (VCS, CAR, etc.)
  • Working group coordination across stakeholders
  • Public comment and protocol review processes

Grant Partnerships

  • Industry cost-share and partnership for federal grants (NSF, DOE, USDA)
  • Letters of support and collaboration for grant applications
  • Access to operational data and commercial validation sites
  • Advisory board participation for research consortia

Research Areas of Interest

Forest Carbon Accounting

  • Remote sensing for carbon MRV systems
  • Uncertainty quantification in forest inventory
  • Additionality and baseline methodologies
  • Integration of satellite and LiDAR data for verification

LiDAR and Machine Learning

  • Tree detection and delineation algorithms
  • Biomass estimation using point cloud data
  • Species classification with multi-sensor integration
  • Change detection for forest monitoring

Supply Chain and Optimization

  • Biomass feedstock logistics and economics
  • Spatial optimization for biorefinery siting
  • Lifecycle assessment of forest products
  • Multi-objective forest management optimization

Standards and Interoperability

  • Data standards for biomass chain of custody
  • Geospatial data infrastructure for landscape management
  • Open-source tools for carbon accounting
  • Integration of heterogeneous forest data systems

Publication Examples

Research publications have addressed:

  • LiDAR-based methods for forest biomass estimation
  • Spatial optimization of bioenergy supply chains
  • Economic analysis of forest carbon offset opportunities
  • Machine learning for forest inventory and species classification
  • Lifecycle greenhouse gas assessment of forest bioenergy

Full publication list available at petertittmann.netlify.app.

Engagement Process

Research collaborations typically develop through:

  1. Initial Discussion: Exploration of research interests, objectives, and potential collaboration structure
  2. Scope Definition: Identification of Arbos contributions (data, methods, analysis, writing)
  3. Agreement: Memorandum of understanding or grant partnership agreement defining roles and authorship
  4. Collaboration: Joint work on research, analysis, and publication
  5. Dissemination: Co-authored publications, conference presentations, standards development

Discuss research collaboration opportunities and methodology development.