Dr. Brian Oswald receives top recognition from alma mater

NACOGDOCHES, Texas — Dr. Brian Oswald, Joe C. Denman Distinguished Professor of Forestry at Stephen F. Austin State University, received the Dwight Patterson Alumnus of the Year Award from Northern Arizona University in recognition of the outstanding success he has achieved throughout his professional career.

Oswald joined SFA in 1995, and since that time has built a career exemplified by domestic and international teaching and research. During the past nine years, he has led SFA forestry undergraduate and graduate researchers in collecting fire fuel load data on behalf of public safety agencies in the Netherlands. This key information continues to assist the country as it develops wildfire spread models that can predict wildfire behavior. Closer to home, Oswald leads additional restoration, fuel loading and monitoring research throughout the U.S. national forests and grasslands.

Oswald is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Association for Fire Ecology Presidential Award, the Society of American Foresters’ Carl A. Schenck Award for Outstanding Forestry Education, the SFASU Foundation’s Faculty Achievement for Research, and he has held the title of Regents Professor, the highest honor SFA may bestow upon a faculty member. Additionally, Oswald served as president of the Association for Fire Ecology and actively contributes to the organization. 

He received a Bachelor of Science in Forestry from Michigan State University, a Master of Science in Forestry from Northern Arizona University and a doctoral degree in forestry from the University of Idaho.