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Here is a WARNING to those of you who want to wait until the Annual Meeting to learn who will receive
the Distinguished Service Award and George Marra Award: DON'T LOOK at PAGE 2 of this Newsletter! Those
who don't need the air of suspense are free to view page 2.
SWST Annual Meeting Program
"Current Trends & Critical Issues Affecting the Forest Products Industry" June 23, 1996, Minneapolis,
Minnesota
Marriott City Centre- (Ballroom 2)
8:00-8:30-Gilbert L. Comstock, Leader, Corporate Research, Weyerhaeuser Company, Tacoma, Washington
"Trends and Issues - A Personal Perspective"
8:30-9:00-Richard Vlosky, Assistant Professor, Forest Products Marketing,Louisiana State
University,Baton Rogue, Louisiana
"Implications of Communication Technology Revolution"
9:00-9:30-Eric Blackledge, President,Blackledge Furniture, Inc., Corvallis, Oregon
"Re-engineering for the 21st Century - A Retailer's Perspective"
9:30-10:00-J. David Barrett, Head, Wood Science Department, University of British Columbia,Vancouver,
British Columbia
"Forest Products Education - How UBC Addresses the Crisis"
10:00-10:45-Panel Discussion
Moderator: Duane Lyon, Professor,Mississippi Forest Products Laboratory,Mississippi State,
Mississippi
10:45-11:45-Awards Presentations:
Al McGinnes to Receive SWST Distinguished Service Award
E. Allen McGinnes, Jr., Professor Emeritus of the University of Missouri-Columbia, has been
selected by the Past President's Council to receive the 1996 SWST Distinguished Service
Award. Dr. McGinnes is a Past President of SWST (1986-1987) and also served as Editor of the
SWST Newsletter and Wood and Fiber.
George G. Marra Award of Excellence
The George Marra Award Committee for volume 27 (Jan Wiedenbeck, Chair) has selected the
following authors to be honored:
First Place
Charles B. Vick, Klaus Richter, Bryan H. River, and Albert R. Fried, Jr., "Hydroxymethylated
resorcinol coupling agent for enhanced durability of bisphenol-A epoxy bonds to Sitka spruce"
27(1):2-12.
Honorable Mention (two awards to be made)
Our correspondents for this issue are the SWST Committee Chairs. These individuals and their
Committee Members are the people who do the bulk of the Society's work. Thanks to everyone
for all the effort this past year. And, be sure to fill out and return the Committee Signup
form on page 12 of this Newsletter so that you may contribute to these efforts for 1996-1997.
Accreditation - Fran Wagner
The Accreditation Committee of SWST has been quite busy over the past few months. One
accreditation site visit has been completed at the University of Idaho, and another visit is
scheduled for May at the University of Minnesota.
Although SWST site visits are typically conducted in cooperation with the Society of American Foresters, special permission was granted by the SWST Board to conduct an independent site visit at the University of Idaho during the fall of 1995. The SWST visiting team visited the University of Idaho on November 14-15,1995. The visiting team was composed of Geza Ifju and Tim Faust. Three options in the Forest Products Department were reviewed. These included: Forest Products Business Management, Wood Construction and Design, and Timber Harvesting. A visiting team report was prepared, reviewed, and submitted to the Accreditation Committee. To avoid conflict of interest, Fran Wagner turned over Committee Chairmanship to Terry Sellers for Committee deliberations. Terry is currently receiving input from Committee members, and recommendations will soon be submitted to the SWST Board. {Editor's Note: The Board approved the Committee's recommendations at the spring meeting, March 16, 1996}
The other site visit was scheduled at the University of Minnesota for May 6-8, 1996. SWST
visiting team members were Terry Sellers and Tim Faust. This site visit was conducted in
cooperation with the Society of American Foresters.
Book Review - R.C. Tang
Constitution and By-Laws - Les Groom
The committee was assigned a special task to change the Constitution and By-Laws in
accordance with changes made by the Membership Committee (inclusion of a "Fellows" and
"Affiliate" membership category). As of my last correspondence (5/16/96) with Paul
Winistorfer, Chair of the Membership Committee, no decision has yet been made as to the
establishment of these new membership categories. Paul has indicated that this issue will be
resolved at the Annual Meeting in Minneapolis, at which time our committee can accordingly
evaluate the constitution and by-laws. It is recommended that if new membership categories
are indeed established, then a special task for '96-'97 will be to change the constitution and
by-laws to reflect these new categories.
Specific comments include:
"recognized college, university, or scientific school" [Const., Art. III, Sec. 5; and
By-Laws, Art. IV]. The term "recognized" is far too vague and needs to be better defined.
"If the office of vice-president is vacated, it shall remain vacant until the next
election, at which time a new vice-president will be elected." [Const., Art. VI, Sec. 10].
The president-elect is an advancement of the vic-president. Thus, the above statement should
read, "If the office of vice-president is vacated, it shall remain vacant until the next
election, at which time both a president-elect and a vice-president will be elected."
"..two new direcators..." [Const., Art VI, Sec. 12]. Typo. Replace with "two new
directors."
Dates in Const., Art. XI and By-Laws, page 9 do not match. Check past records and align
the sets of dates accordingly.
Poo Chow notes that the associate membership category has been eliminated and should have been taken care of in previous versions of the C&BL. Any references to this category should be eliminated (sp. Const., Art. III, sects. 1,3,4 [remove completely and renumber subsequent sections]; By-Laws, Arts. III [remove completely and renumber subsequent articles] and VII).
"At least four years of employment..." [By-Laws, Art. II, Sec. C.2]. Poo Chow feels
that four years is excessive and would like to see this requirement lowered to one to two
years. I concur.
"..for associate membership or membership during the calendar year may advance to the
appropriate grade without..." [By-Laws, Art. VII, 3rd para.]. Needs to be changed due to the
elimination of the associate membership. Should read "...for voting membership during the
calendar year may advance to the membership grade without..."
Critical Issues - Howard Rosen
The critical issues committee is working on a position paper, "Environmental Implications of
the Use of Wood-Based Products/" The paper is in the process of being written and should be in
final form by the end of the summer of 1996. The paper discusses several areas such as the
importance of forest products, global impacts, climate effects, trade issues, certification,
recycling, and wood conservation. This paper should set the policy of SWST on the
environmental benefits, impacts, and importance of wood based materials.
Education - Audrey Zink
Feedback from the Spring Board Meeting -
The SWST Board accepted the recommendation of the Publications Policy committee with regard to
the editor secession policy.
Review of the Home Page came from two angles as in addition to the committee comments Vicki Herian has done some scoping in the Madison area. In response to the suggestion to budget $500 to $1000 for home page maintenance the Board recommended a home page line item of $500 for next year's budget. The board also is supportive of keeping the home page at the LSU and the LFPL (or other universities in the future) In general there is little interest by Vicki in mainlining the page in Madison. There was a discussion of specific features which should be included in the page with most of the focus on ability to jump (or link?) to other sites. The plan is to follow-up on this topic at the June meeting. This is obviously an evolving issue and I am sure that any additional comments would be welcome.
Wood and Fiber Science - Bob Youngs, Editor
Wood and Fiber Science
Volume 27, no. 4 (October 1995) contained 12 papers, 1 book review, 1 editorial. Volume 28, no.1
(January 1996) contained 13 papers and an editorial. Allen Press has advanced the production
schedule to enable mailing each issue earlier in the month. Volume 28, no. 3 (July 1996) will
pretty much exhaust the backlog of manuscripts in the system that are ready for publication.
There are 19 manuscripts that have been returned to the author(s) for revision and 12 in the hands
of reviewers. Primary delays are (1) excessive time taken by reviewers and (2) extended times
for revision of reviewed manuscripts. Quality of manuscripts is being maintained quite well.
Authors are reminded that our policy is to use SI units (U.S. equivalents in parentheses if needed.
{Emphasis added by Newsletter Editor}.
The Associate Editor (Earl Kline) is giving particular emphasis to improving the computerized
database. He also assists with some of the editorial processing and covering for the Editor
during the latter's absence. No page grants have been made this year to date, but two deserving
papers are being considered for support.
Article for National Geographic
The SWST Board has suggested that we try to get an article about wood and fiber science and
technology and its significance in a forthcoming issue of National Geographic. (NL Editor's
Note: This suggestion arose from an idea by SWST member Daryle Layton). I have talked by phone
with a person in the Control Center and, on the basis of that conversation prepared a preproposal
to go to two area specialists on their staff. After discussing this with the Board in San Diego,
I sent these to the magazine. I have not yet received a response.
Other Committees:
Reports for the following committees were not available at press time: International Relations
(ad hoc committee), Membership, 4-H Wood Science, and Visiting Scientist Program.
***********************************************
RALEIGH, N.C. - Dr. Phil Mitchell has joined the Department of Wood and Paper Science at North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, as an Assistant Professor and Extension Wood Products Specialist. Dr. Mitchell will provide statewide leadership within the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service to develop educational programs for North Carolina's secondary wood products manufacturing firms (with emphasis on the furniture and millwork industries) in lumber yield improvements and wood machining. Major program efforts will include value-added manufacturing, lumber yield for rough mill layout and design, quality concepts, modern manufacturing philosophies (such as in-time manufacturing), and efficiently processing small orders.
Dr. Mitchell comes to North Carolina State after working with Weyerhaeuser for nine years in Tacoma, WA. Prior to joining Weyerhaeuser, Dr. Mitchell worked at the Mississippi Forest Products Laboratory and Virginia Tech. He obtained his B.S. at North Carolina State University and his Masters and Ph.D. from Virginia Tech. He can be reached at NCSU, Wood Products Extension, Box 8003, Raleigh, NC 27695-8003. Phone 919-515-5581, fax 919-515-8739.
During World War II, Dr. Siau served in the U.S. Naval Reserve and attended the U.S. Naval Academy and the Radar Officers' School at Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Later, he served aboard an LST (Landing, Ship, Tank) in the South Pacific.
After World War II, form 1946 to 1958, he worked in various industrial positions as design engineer of electronic and electrical devices such as television camera tubes, loudspeakers, industrial and transmitting vacuum tubes, mercury-arc rectifiers, and a host of electronic components.
In 1958, he joined the faculty of Paul Smith's College, Paul Smith's, New York, where he taught physics for five years.
In 1963 he moved to the State University of New York (SUNY), College of Forestry where he obtained his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Wood Science. Later, he became a member of the faculty of the SUNY Department of Wood Products Engineering. He served in that capacity as Associate Professor and Professor until his retirement in 1985. In 1992, Dr. Siau came out of retirement and joined the faculty of the Department of Wood Science and Forest Products, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia. There, he taught a graduate level wood physics course and completed his latest book on "Wood: Influence of Moisture on Physical Properties." He also wrote books previously on "Flow in Wood" (1971) and "Transport Processes in Wood" (1984). While at Virginia Tech, he served as Editor of Wood and Fiber Science, published by the Society of Wood Science and Technology.
Dr. Siau was one of the most accomplished an dedicated wood physicists. Through his research and numerous scientific publications, he contributed significantly to the understanding of the physical behavior of wood. He influenced the lives of many of his former students and colleagues. His many publications and books will long be considered the basis for wood physics.
We will miss Dr. John F. Siau as friend, mentor, professor, scientist, and an unassuming modest
man. - Geza Ifju
An Assessment of Management Practices of Wood and Wood-Related Wastes in the Urban Environment, February 1996. NREL Report TP-430-20696. 78 pages plus appendices. The purpose of this study was to assess and describe current alternatives to landfills for urban wood waste management; provide guidance on the management of urban wood waste to organizations that produce or manage wood waste; and to clarify state regulatory and policy positions affecting these organizations. For this study, urban wood waste is defined as solid waste generated by tree and landscape maintenance services (Public and private). Construction and demolition debris and consumer-generated yard waste are not included in this study.
To request a copy of the report, call Sally Evans at 303-275-4363, or write to NREL at:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 1617 Cole Boulevard, Golden, Colorado, 80401-3393.
Society of American Foresters 1996 National Convention: Diverse Forests,
Abundant Opportunities, and Evolving Realities. November 9-13, 1996,
Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Call for Posters: Poster presentations are being solicited for the 1996 SAF
National Convention in Albuquerque. Poster subjects can be on any natural
resource management or research project. Student posters are encouraged.
Interested parties should submit a 150-word abstract by August 15 to Earl
Aldon, Poster Chair, 2937 Santa Cruz SE, Albuquerque, NM 87106, phone 505-256-9528. Include
poster title, author name(s), and affiliation(s).
For more information on the Convention, call Diana M. Perl, Director of Meetings and
Conferences at 301-897-8720, extension 109 or send email to perld@safnet.org
Assistant/Associate Professor, Wood Science
Michigan Technological University
Appointment Terms
This is a nine-month, tenure-track position. Rank and salary are commensurate with
qualifications and experience.
Responsibilities
Major responsibilities are teaching (40 percent) and research (60 percent). The successful
candidate will teach undergraduate and graduate courses in the areas of primary wood processing,
wood structure/properties, wood chemistry and biotechnology, and shall act in an advisory
capacity to undergraduate and graduate students. This individual will be expected to establish
and conduct a strong program of research appropriate to the applicant's area of interest,
emphasizing graduate education.
Participation in collaborative research efforts within the Institute, with other departments
on campus, and with other agencies is also anticipated.
Qualifications
A Ph.D. degree in wood science or a related field is necessary. The preferable areas of expertise
should be complementary with the Institute of Wood Research programs in wood protection, wood
composites, wood and lignin biotechnology, and/or the environmental aspects of wood processing.
However, applicants with qualifications in other areas will be considered.
An active interest in graduate and undergraduate teaching is essential. Excellent communication
skills are required.
Procedures
Applicants should submit a letter of intent, resume, transcripts of all academic work and the
names, positions, addresses and telephone numbers of three references. The selection process
will begin July 1, 1996 and will continue until a suitable candidate is selected. Send materials
to:
Wood Science Faculty Search Committee
Institute of Wood Research
Michigan Technological University
1400 Townsend Drive
Houghton, Michigan 49931-1295
Telephone Number: 906-487-2911
Fax Number: 906-487-2915
The anticipated date of availability is September 1, 1996, or as appropriate for the successful
candidate.
Michigan Technological University is an equal opportunity educational institution/equal
opportunity affirmative action employer. SWST Committee Signup Form for 1996-1997
Please mark the committee(s) on which you would be willing to serve.
If there is more than one which interests you, indicate your
preference by assigning 1=highest preference, etc. You won't
be guaranteed to get your top choice, but please be assured that diligent
effort will be made to accommodate your interests. Return your completed
form to Vicki Herian, either at the Annual Meeting or by mail or fax
(address and fax # given below).
_____ Accreditation Committee
_____ Book Review Committee
_____ Constitution and Bylaws Committee
_____ Critical Issues Committee
_____ Education Committee
_____ International Relations Committee (ad hoc)
_____ Marra Award Committee (WFS volume 29, 1997)
_____ Membership Committee
_____ Nominations Committee
***** Past Presidents' Council (sorry, you have to be President
first to be on this Council!)
_____ Public Liaison Committee (this is a new committee for
1996-'97; This committee will focus on outreach as
a replacement for the 4-H Wood Science Committee. Due
to changes in changes in the national programs of the 4-H
organization, the SWST Board deemed it necessary to
broaden the scope of this committee).
_____ Publication Policy Committee
_____ Visiting Scientist Committee
Return as soon as possible following the Annual Meeting (June 23, 1996) to:
Vicki Herian, Executive Director
Society of Wood Science and Technology
One Gifford Pinchot Drive
Madison, WI 53705-2398
Phone: 618-231-9347
Fax: 618-231-9592
email: vicki@aldo.fpl.wisc.edu