The Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture at Stephen F. Austin State University was honored with four national awards at the recent Society of American Foresters national convention in Albuquerque, N.M.
Dr. David Kulhavy, SFA professor of forest entomology and landscape ecology and SAF fellow, received the prestigious Carl Alwin Schenck Award recognizing devotion and outstanding performance in the field of forestry education. Known as "Dr. Bug," Kulhavy requires his students to use their resources and skills to address such current forest health issues as invasive, species, bark beetle dynamics and endangered species management.
Dr. Matthew McBroom, SFA assistant professor of forest hydrology, received the Young Forester Leadership award. The honor recognizes outstanding leadership by a young forestry professional in the development and promotion of an individual program or project, or for a sustained leadership role benefitting the practice of forestry and the Society of American Foresters. McBroom's research at SFA addresses components of hydrology and watershed management, and he has focused on opportunities to build multidisciplinary teams to address water resources issues.
Dr. Steve Bullard, dean of the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, has been selected as a Fellow of the Society of American Foresters. In a letter supporting Bullard's nomination, SFA Forestry Professor and SAF Fellow Dr. Jimmie Yeiser said he admires Bullard for his commitment to student success in forestry and in life.
"As a university servant to the forestry profession, (Bullard) influences countless young professionals, thereby multiplying and extending his contribution to forestry and SAF for many years to come," Yeiser wrote.
SFA's student chapter of SAF also was named an Outstanding Student Chapter. The criteria for this award include demonstrating outstanding ability in categories such as membership, service to members, service to the forestry program and involvement with other natural resource programs, service to the community, outside recognition, and chapter management. SFA's student chapter of SAF is advised by Yeiser.
The mission of the SAF is to advance the science, education, technology and practice of forestry; to enhance the competency of its members; to establish standards of professional excellence; and to use the knowledge, skills and conservation ethic of the profession to ensure the continued health and use of forest ecosystems and the present and future availability of forest resources to benefit society.
Axe ’Em, Jacks!