In January the U.S. Department of Commerce awarded a $4.2 million grant to the Clallam County Economic Development Council in Port Angeles, Washington, to advance Indigenous forestry resource development. The grant was matched with over $1 million in local funds from combined contributions by the Clallam County government, Oregon State University, Port of Port Angeles, Clallam County EDC, Composite Recycling Technology Center, Peninsula College, University of Washington’s Olympic Natural Resources Center and the City of Forks.
As part of this grant, College of Forestry Stewart Professor of Forest Operations Woodam Chung is advancing Investing in Forestry Skills: A Technology-Focused Workforce Training Program. The initiative is designed to build a highly skilled and technologically advanced forestry workforce in Clallam and Jefferson Counties through comprehensive training and development. Additionally, it aims to address the critical workforce shortage, one of the most pressing challenges facing the forest industry today.
“We’ve seen a dramatic decline in the forest industry workforce, and attracting younger generations has been increasingly difficult,” said Chung. “This reluctance, I believe, comes partly from the outdated perception that forestry jobs are inherently tough and dangerous. However, the reality is that rapid technological advancements and increasing mechanization are modernizing the field, making forestry jobs safer and more efficient.”
As technology continues to advance, Chung emphasizes that forest workforce development and training programs must evolve as well.
“In order to attract and retain skilled workers, training programs need to reflect the technological changes shaping the industry,” he said. “We must equip the next generation with the knowledge and skills necessary to operate cutting-edge equipment and embrace new, more sustainable forestry practices.”
By doing so, he believes the industry can not only overcome its current workforce shortage but also prepare for a future that is both safer and more technologically integrated.
Today, the forestry sector lacks accessible training opportunities, has unclear career paths and a widening gap between existing skills and emerging technologies. The program aims to address these challenges and empower the region through a multifaceted approach that focuses on:
Bridging the skills gap by providing targeted training on essential technologies and skillsets – cultivating a future-ready workforce by fostering proficiency in current technology and adaptability.
Developing partnerships with industry, public and tribal land management agencies, school districts and forestry associations across Jefferson and Clallam Counties and establishing new hands-on training curricula.
Providing diverse pathways — both entry-level and upskilling/retraining for existing forestry professionals — that cater to the specific needs of different audiences.
As this program bridges the skills gap and works to cultivate a future-ready workforce, it will increase the forestry sector’s accessibility and appeal to a broader audience of jobseekers and promote economic growth in forest-dependent rural communities. It will also improve operational efficiency and safety in forest practices, along with increased awareness of environmental impacts.
The grant will also support the University of Washington’s Olympic National Resource Center and new forest workforce training programs at Peninsula College. These programs aim to advance Clallam County’s economic growth, contribute to innovative and sustainable forest management in the community and represent a commitment to rural prosperity.
Co-PIs for this project include Kevin Lyons and Heesung Woo, Oregon State University; Mia Boster, Peninsula College; and Bernard Bormann, University of Washington Olympic Natural Resources Center.
Today’s sustainability challenges recognize no borders, and collaboration must be built across cultures worldwide to build an economy that supports people and planet. That’s one reason why Rajat Panwar, professor of responsible and sustainable business, travels the globe to collaborate and learn from colleagues and mentor and teach students. His research, which examines the impact of business practices on biodiversity loss and deforestation while also exploring potential solutions and ways to foster a sustainable bioeconomy, is especially relevant in today’s global and interconnected world.
Panwar recently traveled to Finland to deliver a keynote lecture at the 13th annual Responsible Business Research Conference. His speech, “Frontiers in Corporate Sustainability: Where Do We go from Here” explored the future of sustainable business in a world on edge — where geopolitical tensions are rising, corporate climate commitments are unraveling, and trust between businesses and society is fraying.
“The conference couldn’t have come at a better time. Seeing the impactful work people are doing was truly electrifying. With participants from 21 countries, it felt like a global rallying cry — we are not backing down,” Panwar said. “Emerging scholars give me hope; they are defying entrenched paradigms and exploring bold solutions.”
The conference aimed to spark thought-provoking discussions on the meaning of corporate responsibility today and increase the visibility of research on business sustainability and ethics. It explored what corporate responsibility means in today’s society and how we can conduct research around responsible and ethical business environments.
Sustainable business impacts everyone — after all, we rely on forests, but they also depend on us to protect and sustainably manage them. Our world is an intricate web, and understanding this interconnected system is key to finding groundbreaking solutions. Panwar emphasizes this importance of driving change through innovative global perspectives.
Later this month, Panwar will travel to Rome, Italy, for the Sustainable Wood for a Sustainable World (SW4SW) workshop hosted by Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN. The workshop will present a six-year review of initiatives aimed at advancing sustainable wood practices to improve livelihoods and bolster climate resilience.
The insights from this workshop, which gathers organizations from the Collaborative Partnership on Forests, will inform the strategic planning of the SW4SW initiative that focuses on advancing the business case for sustainable, inclusive wood and international collaborations in forestry.
With teaching experience across Asia, Australia, Europe, North America and South America, Panwar is also a global distinguished faculty member at the National Institute of Agricultural Marketing located in Jaipur, India. Originally from India, Panwar is an interdisciplinary scholar with dual doctoral degrees — a Ph.D. in forestry and a DBA in sustainability and strategy. His experiences facing a rapid economic expansion and environmental degradation during his youth shaped his research and teaching passions today.
“I witnessed the development-conservation debate come alive. The belief that environmental loss was an inevitable price for escaping poverty, increasing income and generating local jobs ran too deep,” Panwar said. “These experiences profoundly impacted me, so my academic work is dedicated to finding sustainability and ensuring a future where meeting human needs doesn’t come at too high an environmental cost.”
Can you tell us about the areas of research you are passionate about and what brought you to being the Christmas Tree Extension Specialist at the COF? I have a passion for understanding the biological mechanisms underlying the interactions between two living organisms that exist in symbiosis, such as insects and plants. The interplay between insect pests and plants is a perfect example of the evolution of these interactions. Understanding pest biology on a host plant is essential to developing sustainable pest management strategies. The impact of applied entomology on agriculture and forestry has inspired me to continue my career in entomology. I studied various insect pests in forest and agriculture ecosystems to develop cultivars exhibiting pest-resilient traits. This skill set and passion for applied science brought me to being the Christmas tree extension specialist. As an extension specialist, I have opportunities to constantly learn and explore new challenges created by the emerging threats to the Christmas tree industry and develop solutions that have a direct impact on the stakeholders.
What are you currently researching? And, what is one research project that you’re proud of or that you feel had a significant impact? Currently, I am learning different management strategies for Christmas Tree production. The vision of my program is to develop an interdisciplinary research program to address the emerging challenges in Christmas tree production in the Pacific Northwest to develop applied solutions. If I had to pick a past project that made a significant impact, it is when I developed a protein database of oral secretions of Western Flower thrips, a notorious agriculture and greenhouse pest. It was also one of the most challenging projects that I have ever worked with as I had to dissect thousands of insects to extract their salivary glands. This database has opened opportunities for other researchers to understand the fundamental biology of the pest to develop sustainable tools to manage it.
What is something you want every student to know about you? I have a very broad knowledge of various subjects such as biochemistry, molecular biology, entomology and ecology. I also bring technical knowledge in insect rearing, both basic and advanced molecular biology. Most importantly, I love mentoring students and providing career guidance!
What do you like to do in your free time? I like baking in cool season and gardening in warm season!
What’s your favorite book/movie genre or your all-time favorite title? I like to read mystery books and watch comedy movies.
The 2024 Dean’s Award recipients and retirees were recently honored with an awards ceremony and celebration. Since 1990, the Dean’s Awards for Outstanding Achievement have recognized outstanding contributions by our community members that significantly advanced the mission of the College.
The award for outstanding achievement in Graduate Student Leadership went to Hunter Holeman. Hunter has worked tirelessly in his roles as Teaching Assistant and Society of American Foresters Student Chapter Chair and has consistently done so with a high degree of professionalism and organization. While working on the OSU Research Forests, Hunter was the student lead on implementing the Woodpecker Project which aimed to create a multi-aged forest structure. While in that role, he mentored additional student workers and helped to explain opportunities and challenges of managing the Research Forests for multiple uses and values. Hunter has also taught at Forestry and Natural Resources Extension’s Clackamas Tree School, reaching over 150 woodland owners across 9 field classes. Topics included Stand Density Management, Thinning Your Forest, and Uneven-aged Forest Management.
The Student Services team received the award for Fostering Undergraduate Student Success. The team includes Gina Cavanaugh, Brooke Harrington, Nicole Kent, Terina McLachlain, Hilary McMillan, Amy Riley, Kirk Robinson, Nate Scott, Morgan Shahan, Ruth Sterner, Joanna Tan and Beth Thompson. This team is a powerhouse of expertise, enthusiasm, innovation, and commitment, ensuring that our students are not only supported in their studies but also well-prepared for their future careers. They provide an invaluable foundation for student success through comprehensive advising, resource coordination, career preparation, and outreach efforts. And they do it all with empathy and consideration for student-lived experiences.
Sidney Perkin and Morgan Ward were recognized for outstanding achievement in Contributions as a Student Worker. Sidney’s nominator noted “she has gone above and beyond her expected duties since being hired in our analytical chemistry lab. Her exceptional progress in confidence, experience, and competence has been unmatched.” Morgan Ward is an undergraduate in Environmental Science, but has been instrumental in conducting work on fungal biodegradation projects in Wood Science, while simultaneously operating as a lab worker in Forest Ecosystems and Society.
The award recognizing outstanding achievement in the Mentorship of Graduate Students went to Andrew Merschel. Andrew’s nominator noted that “Andrew goes out of his way to help others with their own research and professional development. He serves on multiple graduate committees, has sought both funding and positions for future graduate students and assists in many side projects that students take on to develop both their technical and analytical skills.”
The Pauline Barto Award for Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion went to Eric Jones. Dr. Jones demonstrates exceptional commitment to DEI through his approach to teaching MNR 519: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Natural Resource Management. He creates an inclusive learning environment where students explore systemic barriers to DEI, develop ways to expand their cultural competency, and build awareness for practical DEI implementation in natural resource fields. His teaching approach combines DEI concepts with real-world applications, allowing students to develop projects relevant to their professional work.
The award for Outstanding Achievement in Distinction to the College went to Paul Van Wagoner and Andy McEvoy. Paul’s exceptional leadership of the College of Forestry’s Computing HelpDesk is a model of efficiency, responsiveness, and service excellence, and he also fosters a supportive learning environment for student employees. Paul consistently demonstrates technical expertise alongside remarkable interpersonal skills, ensuring that faculty, staff, and students receive prompt, knowledgeable assistance… with a smile and with concern for how you are doing as a person. Andy McEvoy has brought Distinction to the College through leadership in rolling out updates to Oregon’s wildfire hazard map. He has risen to the challenge of translating this science-based decision-support tool to the public, policy makers, and state agencies. Andy’s effort has been exceptional in response to this legislative request and in support of several state agencies, the Governor’s Office, and Oregon’s Wildfire Programs Advisory Council. He continues to represent the College with the utmost integrity and steadfast adherence to science integrity through extreme external pressure.
2024 retirees that were honored were Hans Luh, John Nairn and Liz Cole. Hans Luh was with Forestry Computing Resources since 2002 and spent many years providing support for the LTER Project on the H.J. Andrews. John Nairn was a professor and Richardson chair in Wood Science and Forest Products, and adjunct professor of Mechanical Engineering since 2006. Liz Cole worked as a senior research assistant in the FERM Department since 1988.
Jim Rivers, an associate professor of wildlife ecology at Oregon State University’s College of Forestry, has been awarded the prestigious Bullard Fellowship from Harvard University to further his groundbreaking research on native pollinators in working forest landscapes. Over the course of his three-month fellowship at Harvard Forest, Rivers will build on his ongoing research of blue orchard bee nesting ecology. His research, which uses experimentally heated nesting structures, aims to better understand how this species responds to human-driven environmental change.
There is a significant shortage of information on insect pollinators in managed forests, and these knowledge gaps have hindered progress in forest pollinator conservation. Current research fails to address the demographic and behavioral factors driving the long-term population decline that have led to growing concerns about the future of insect pollinators.
During the fellowship, Rivers will analyze preliminary data from the existing field-based studies undertaken at the Oregon State University McDonald-Dunn Research Forest. He will also develop new research aimed at understanding how native bees respond to natural and human-caused variation in native forest ecosystems.
Blue orchard bees were chosen because they are native to the United States and a more effective pollinator than honeybees for spring blooming orchard crops. They are also solitary nesting bees, in contrast to the highly social honeybees, and have the potential to provide valuable insights into other solitary species, which make up the majority of wild bee species.
About the Charles Bullard Fellowship: The Fellowship program was established at Harvard University in 1962 to support the advancement of theory and practice in forestry and forest-related subjects. Offering funding for both short- and long-term residential fellowships, the program allows researchers to advance their scientific and professional growth. The fellowship funds are endowed by the estate of Katherine Bullard in memory of her brother, Charles Bullard.
How did you become interested in conservation biology, fire and landscape ecology? I’ve enjoyed the outdoors since I was very young, including summer camping trips with my parents and family, and that’s probably the start of my interests in conservation and ecology! The smells, sounds, seeing and feeling of being outside re-charge me. That family-recreational enjoyment of being outside started to build into a more formal interest with my first summer field job – monitoring painted turtles and snapping turtles in Algonquin Provincial Park in Ontario, Canada. I loved the full-on days of field work and the focused observational nature of the work. It was the start of recognizing that I really enjoy the puzzles and process of research. My interests grew from that start in zoology to field studies in avian ecology, landscape ecology and entomology and fire ecology. I guess I have a generalist ecology spirit…aiming for a holistic ecological approach. In that generalist space, it’s becoming clear that fire touches all aspects of ecosystems and people in so many different ways – and that’s a motivating space to be in.
What are you currently researching? The lab group covers a lot of ideas and projects in the work we’re all doing together, all with an element of fire ecology and landscapes. I like to use the word “pyrogeography” for the work we do, since it brings together the idea of place, people and ecology all together as a social-humanities and biophysical study of fire. One topic that I’ve been working on for a while now is the concept of fire refugia. Fire refugia are locations on the landscape that burn at lower severity and provide important heterogeneity in ecosystems. In casual terms, I think of these parts of the landscape as moving in the “slow lane” of change. One example of the impact from that work is we’ve developed a suite of quantitative, predictive fire refugia models that are being integrated into vegetation management decisions and landscape project planning – I’m proud the work we’re doing is being applied by folks doing work on the ground. I’m also serving on the Northwest Forest Plan Federal Advisory Committee (FAC), contributing ideas and effort to modernizing federal forest policy for the region. This committee work has been amazing in the teamwork, learning and trust the FAC has built together, dedicated to a better future of forests and society in the region. I’m honored to be a part of that process.
What’s your favorite part about working with students? For me, working with students means learning with students. The most amazing part of learning together is seeing new perspectives and ideas, and supporting students in finding their path. What work you do is important, and even more so it’s important how you do it. I’ve had the pleasure of working with some pretty inspiring and amazing students over the years – and that includes folks in the lab group right now.
What do you like to do in your free time? Spending time with family and exploring! My husband Mark, and our ten-year-old twins Annabelle and Ben are my favorite people to spend time with. Whether it’s a weekend hike, cross-country pseudo-backcountry skiing, a drive to the coast, baking, puttering in the garden or family movie night – that time with family is what keeps me going.
What’s your favorite book/movie genre or your all-time favorite title? Quite honestly, I don’t get much time to read for fun these days, but nighttime reading with the kids is still a real treat. We’re reading “Swallows and Amazons” now in that wonderful bedtime ritual, and have gone through the “Harry Potter” sequence, and recently some kids history books that have been fun.
Yes, Meg and her family all have red Madshus skis, they aren’t rentals!
What do you enjoy most about working as the Recreation and Engagement Program Manager within OSU Research Forests? I love so much about my job. One constant highlight is being able to help people form special connections to the forest. Seeing a family laugh and enjoy our Forest Discovery scavenger hunt; watching a dog excitedly bound up the trail; waving to an equestrian walking along the road; cheering on the youth mountain bike team. Witnessing all the ways in which people enjoy and benefit from nature – and knowing that I can be of service in helping to make it happen – makes the work I do feel especially meaningful.
I also love working with such a hard-working and kind team of Research Forest staff. Everyone here is very humble and dedicated to their work, which motivates and inspires my own professional growth.
What is one of your favorite memories from your time in the COF? This is a hard one. I have so many great memories. Not surprisingly, I favor time spent outside. I especially love helping with forest tours. There is a subtle but significant change I’ve witnessed in people after meeting with them among the trees. Typically, at the beginning of any tour, people’s shoulders are a bit tensed, they are quiet, maybe a little fidgety and distracted. But by the end of the tour, people are noticeably more relaxed, smile more, curious and grateful. There is something very impactful about bringing people together outside that beats any phone call, Zoom or conference meeting.
What do you like to do in your free time? I love to spend quality time with my family and friends. My husband Marshall and I have two sons, a two-year-old and a five-year-old, so they keep us plenty busy and endlessly entertained. I love reading everything under the sun, gardening, hiking, journaling and exploring new places. I’ve been trying to get into trail running with minimal success – I keep telling myself the runners high will come eventually, right?
What is your favorite tree? For a long time, I would have said aspen tree because I grew up in Colorado and have always loved their glimmery coin-like leaves. But honestly, I think the winner goes to the ponderosa pine. In fact, our older son Oren’s name means pine tree. I love its resiliency and hardiness, and I associate it with that dry, high alpine aesthetic that I have such a core fondness for.
What’s your favorite book or movie genre or your all-time favorite title? I have several favorite books! I consider them my favorite because I’ve read these books more than once (I rarely read books more than once) and I think about them often. The genres are a bit all over the place but they are: Angle of Repose, Jane Eyre, Mists of Avalon, the Earthsea Trilogy, Middlemarch and Endurance.
What do Oregon White Oak, Truffles, Rodents and a Golden Retriever have in common?
Oregon white oak (Quercus garryana) savanna and woodland were once widespread in the Willamette Valley but are now considered endangered habitats1. The decline of both has been attributed to agricultural expansion, fire suppression, and invasive species. The Oregon white oak is a biodiversity workhorse and has been providing habitat for hundreds of wildlife species for millennia2. This species has spanned the test of time because of its drought tolerance and fire resiliency, but also because it can handle seasons with high rainfall. However, even the persistent Oregon white oak needs a hand in long-term survival.
Oak trees, like many other trees in our region, depend on partnerships with ectomycorrhizal fungi for enhanced nutrient and water uptake. In this partnership, the fungi increase the uptake of water and nutrients like phosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium, by attaching to and extending the tree’s root system. Through photosynthesis, the tree supplies the fungi with carbohydrates. The Oregon white oak forms these partnerships with over 40 different species of fungi3, many of which are known as truffles!
Genea sp(Photo credit: Heather Dawson)
Truffles are a type of mycorrhizal fungi that develop fully underground. While mycologists may disagree, these spherical fruiting bodies are not nearly as showy as the fungi that produce the colorful and often unusual above-ground fruiting bodies currently dazzling popular culture. What truffles lack in appearance, they make up for in smell. More on smell later…
Truffles uniquely rely on animals for spore dispersal. This can happen in two different ways: 1) they are kicked to the surface by an elk or deer passing by, or 2) they are consumed by a rodent, bear, or whatever else fancies a fungal treat. In addition to occupying an important partnership with oak trees, truffles also serve as a major food source for wildlife.
Rodents: the unwitting truffle farmers
Rodents, such as mice and voles, consume large amounts of truffles and pass the spores through their systems unscathed. These animals are highly attuned to the scent of truffles, digging them up and consuming them as a food source. In the messy process of eating, they spread fungal spores across the forest floor. More remarkably, the spores of truffles are still viable after passing through the rodent digestive system. Rodents love eating and defecating truffles so much, they may actually aid in the habitat expansion and seeding survival of Oregon white oak in our savannas and woodlands! Oak acorns are often carried away from the parent tree by birds or squirrels and often land outside the parent tree root zone, meaning no access to mycorrhizal fungi. One hypothesis for oak seedling survival in these cases is that rodents are dispersing incredible amounts of truffle spores through defecation while running from tree to tree.
Enter Rye, the Golden Retriever
There are hundreds of native truffle species in Oregon, but only a handful are of culinary value (Tuber oregonense, T. gibbosum, Leucangium carthusianum, Kalapuya brunnea). While we know a bit about these culinary species from only very recent DNA sequencing and ecological research, they are not the species found in Oregon white oak fungal partnerships. There’s an entire new world of truffle species that associate with oak trees and we have barely scratched the surface. In fact, we’ve barely scratched the surface on fungi in general!
Meet Rye the golden retriever. When Rye is happily wagging his bushy tail, he smells something interesting under the soil’s surface. Rye is Heather Dawson’s truffle biodiversity dog, which means he surveys all species of truffles instead of being limited to the few species of culinary and economic value. Heather Dawson, a PhD candidate at University of Oregon, is studying the diversity of Oregon white oak associated truffles and the dietary preferences of truffles amongst our native small mammal community.
Rye the golden retriever hunting for truffles(Photo credit: Heather Dawson)
Rye is Heather’s second truffle dog and while he’s been trained with culinary truffles, he continues to expand his smell library and frequently calls attention to new smells. Heather wondered if he gets bored of the common truffle species at a site and starts keying into new smells, which range from “canned corn and tomato paste” to “burning brakes” to “sunscreen”. Some of the samples Rye has collected will likely turn out to be undescribed species and will help to unravel the story of truffles in the Willamette Valley.
The Bigger Picture
While the rodents undoubtedly recognize the array of oak associated truffle smells we are only beginning to learn about, Rye and Heather are doing the work to catch up. Heather plans to collect small mammal fecal material by setting up live traps and humanely capturing and releasing them, noting their species. Fungal spores in the fecal material will be DNA sequenced along with Rye’s truffle treasures. Heather also plans to collect and DNA sequence mycorrhizal fungi from soil cores and root samples from her Oregon white oak savanna and woodland sites.
In order to protect Oregon’s endangered oak savannas and woodlands, we must understand all parts of the ecosystem. Most oak ecosystem research has focused solely on plants and animals, with little knowledge of what role fungi plays in maintaining this charismatic system. Heather and Rye’s work will catalog truffles that support a biodiverse landscape, home to hundreds of birds, insects, amphibians, and reptiles.
Sources
Vesely, D. G., & Rosenberg, D. K. (2010). Wildlife conservation in the Willamette Valley’s remnant prairies and oak habitats: A research synthesis. Interagency Special Status Sensitive Species Program, US Forest Service/Bureau of Land Management, Portland, OR.
Hosten, P. E., Hickman, O. E., Lake, F. K., Lang, F. A., & Vesely, D. (2006). Oak woodlands and savannas. Restoring the Pacific Northwest: the art and science of ecological restoration in Cascadia, 63-96.
Frank, J., Barry, S., Madden, J., & Southworth, D. (2008). Oaks belowground: mycorrhizas, truffles, and small mammals. In: Merenlender, Adina; McCreary, Douglas; Purcell, Kathryn L., tech. eds. 2008. Proceedings of the sixth California oak symposium: today’s challenges, tomorrow’s opportunities. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-217. Albany, CA: US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station: pp. 131-138 (Vol. 217, pp. 131-138).
On March 6, the College of Forestry is hosting a coffee in honor of International Women’s Day! It will be held in the George Peavy Forest Science Center atrium (3100 SW Jefferson Way, Corvallis, OR 97331).
Speakers
Ashley D’Antonio Ashley D’Antonio is an Associate Professor of Nature-Based Recreation Management, Gene D. Knudson Forestry Chair, and Associate Department Head in the Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society. She is a recreation ecologist, and her research is very applied. It focuses on helping park and protected area managers understand how to mitigate and manage disturbances from outdoor recreation to meet both visitor use and conservation goals. Dr. D’Antonio teaches undergraduate courses in parks and protected area management, outdoor recreation management, and planning for sustainable recreation. In her free time, she enjoys spending time outside, knitting, and hanging out with her two cats.
Mindy Crandall Mindy Crandall is a native of Otis, Oregon. She received an associate’s degree from Salish Kootenai College in Pablo, Montana, and a bachelor’s in forest management from Oregon State. She has worked as a dishwasher, hotel housekeeper, GIS technician, prep cook, and advocate at a domestic violence prevention agency. After returning to OSU for a PhD in Applied Economics and Forest Resources in 2014, she was an assistant professor at the University of Maine for 5 years before returning in 2020 for her dream job. Her free time is spent reading, traveling, knitting, feeding pets, and bugging her grown sons to learn to identify trees.
Holly Ober Holly Ober serves as Associate Dean for Science Outreach & Program Leader for Forestry and Natural Resources Extension (way too many words for a job title!). She earned a BS in biology, MS in wildlife ecology, and dual PhD in forest science/wildlife science. Her passion for research and sunshine led her to a faculty position in Florida with a research component. In this position she found true inspiration in the responsibilities she knew nothing about at the time she applied – Extension. After 14 years as a wildlife Extension Specialist, she was offered an opportunity to transition to Extension Administration, and a few years later this provided the chance to move to her present job at OSU. This career path was shaped by serendipity and a series of inspirational role models.
Tabling Participants
College of Forestry International Programs In alignment with the College of Forestry’s overarching commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, the International Programs Office aspires to create a safe, welcoming and supportive environment for OSU students going abroad, international students coming to COF and for our visiting faculty, researchers and partners.
We have about 72% women-identifying participants on our outgoing study abroad programs (above the national average of 67%). In addition, we make sure that our students feel safe and uplifted; many going abroad for the first time. On the itineraries, we prioritize diversity in our guest lecturers and visits so that students are able to see representations of themselves in the real world
As interns, we’ve sent young women to study bioluminescent mushrooms in Brazil, report on fire ecology on the Spanish coast, track primate conservation in Malaysia, and more.
Students on a faculty-led trip to Borneo. Photo by Rachael Fahrenbach
In addition, our office supports many incoming scholars and students, some of whom bring families and the need to integrate into the Corvallis community. We help forge community connections for our college members with organizations like the Corvallis Multicultural Literacy Center and the International Moms Group.
International Moms Group The mission of the International Moms Group (IMG) is to educate, empower, and encourage international mothers on their parenting journey. It is a group committed to creating a space for belonging, cross-cultural engagement, empowerment, and resource sharing for both OSU-affiliated and community-based international families. IMG provides weekly engagement opportunities for international moms and their children at the Orchard Court Family Housing Community Center. IMG meetings offer space for moms to meet and build friendships, share their cultural traditions, and learn critical information for navigating life with their families here in Oregon.
Featured community partners present on a variety of informational topics, such as “understanding mandatory reporting” (ABC House), “dealing with post-partum depression and pregnancy loss” (Community Doula Project), and “navigating healthcare” (Benton County Health Department).
IMG also offers a variety of activities outside of the weekly meetings such as venturing out into the community on field trips and gathering for potlucks. Additionally, IMG offers two additional cross-cultural, peer-to-peer engagement opportunities: Moms Crossing International Borders, which pairs domestic and international moms for conversation and playdates, and American Thanksgiving, which pairs international and domestic families for a holiday meal. IMG also cultivates leadership pathways for international moms to present at weekly meetings, to do peer outreach, and to serve on the leadership team in charge of planning IMG programming.
Oregon Women in Timber Oregon Women in Timber was founded in 1978 to support the forest sector through education. Since 1991, OWIT’s pre-K to 8th grade Talk About Trees program—which provides trained facilitators and an age-appropriate, science-based, state-approved curriculum to all Oregon schools, free of charge—has reach nearly 4 million Oregonians. Alongside its ongoing support of TAT, OWIT’s educational advocacy and outreach has evolved along with the make-up of its membership. OWIT members are foresters, mill workers, loggers, teachers, truck drivers, administrative professionals, landowners, and a diverse array of people who value and support science-based forestry education for all Oregonians. From kids in the woods days to career fairs, social media to our Women Who Know the Woods video series, landowner education events to a full-on celebration of October as Forest Products Month, OWIT is proud of its nearly 50 years of being an all-volunteer, statewide non-profit dedicated to “creating awareness and appreciation for the value of trees” and increasing “understanding about the protection, management and conservation of the renewable forest.”
The Paulines (College of Forestry student club) The Paulines are a club named after Pauline Barto Sandoz, the first woman to graduate from the College of Forestry. We are a club focused on empowering women, womxn, gender minorities, underrepresented demographics, and allies in the College of Forestry and broader Natural Resources fields as students, faculty, or community members associated with Oregon State University.
Women in Forest Management Women in Forest Management (WIFM) is an organization that exists to empower and connect women and those that support them. This group is for anyone working in all aspects of forest management as well as all forest management objectives. In the future, we will be planning and promoting events that provide professional development, training, networking, and mentoring opportunities for women and their allies in forest management, including an annual conference.
WIFM is not a group exclusively for women. While we focus on promoting networking and development opportunities for women in the profession, we also aim to support and learn from all individuals who champion women in forestry. We believe that each individual’s diverse perspective, shaped by unique experiences, is vital to achieving shared goals and fostering collaboration within the industry.
Women Owning Woodlands Network The Women Owning Woodlands Network (WOWNet) was founded in 2005 in Oregon to create a space where women woodland owners could connect, learn, and actively participate in forest stewardship. Initially started by a group of women, the network emerged as a response to women’s lack of representation and engagement in traditional forestry spaces.
WOWNet provides workshops, peer learning opportunities, and hands-on training in chainsaw training, forest management, and land stewardship. It also fosters community through events like nature walks, virtual book clubs, and seasonal gatherings. The network aims to empower women by building confidence, promoting leadership, and creating a supportive environment for landowners at all experience levels.
With over 150 newsletter subscribers and growing, WOWNet continues to expand across Oregon, ensuring that more women have access to the knowledge, resources, and community needed to manage their woodlands successfully.
Patricia Vega has studied and worked in the field of forest science and engineering for over 20 years. Today, she works as the managing director of the Wood-Based Composites Center with the director, Arijit Sinha and co-director, Chip Frazier. The WBC is an industry supported cooperative research center devoted to researching wood-based composites and renewable materials that comprises Oregon State University, Virginia Tech University, Auburn University and Michigan State University. At the center, Vega spends most of her time supervising the research program and facilitating what she calls the “research life cycle,” including the yearlong process and collaboration between industry and researchers.
In addition to this cycle, she asks questions of the center itself, such as where it should go, how it’s evolving and what the industry trends or changes are that the WBC wants to be one step ahead of. In 2024 the WBC celebrated its 25th anniversary, centered on celebrating the collaboration of industry and academia. Over 120 students have been a part of the center since its creation in 1999 and nearly all are currently working in the wood industry and academia. In the past three years, 100% of WBC’s students have been hired by WBC industry members.
Part of Vega’s role, along with the other directors, is to help facilitate and connect companies with WBC students. As a result, students receive mentorship and connections to industry professionals. In addition to direct support, the WBC offers webinars and workshops to all four WBC university partners on how to effectively present research and communicate to industry.
“In industry, you often only can present one to three slides, and you usually have five minutes max,” Vega said, explaining how this type of presentation differs from academia. “You need to be impactful…and convince and communicate to people who are not familiar with the technicalities of what you do.”
In addition to working at the WBC, Vega is passionate about getting kids, especially girls, involved in wood science. She noticed that girls, especially those that look like her, do not always see themselves in science. Vega, in collaboration with other faculty across campus, has participated in Juntos — an OSU program that works to provide pathways to higher education for Latinx students — to give workshops to elementary, middle and high school students.
“We were playing with fungi and microscopes, I was wearing my lab coat, and a girl speaking Spanish asked me if I was a scientist and I said yes,” Vega said, recalling one workshop with middle schoolers. “She said ‘no that’s not possible, because you speak Spanish.’”
That interaction had a profound impact on Vega, revealing the significance of her work and inspiring her to teach kids about the field of wood science and its potential as a career. As woodworking programs are increasingly being removed from high schools, Vega noted her emphasis on incorporating STEM principles into the workshops to show the importance and contribution it can have to education goals.
“We incorporated biology, chemistry and math,” Vega said. “We talked about the wood’s physical and mechanical properties and related it to whatever they were learning in class.”
Vega explains that when kids and teens have the opportunity to engage with wood science, it leaves a lasting impression. They begin to see it not just as a subject, but as a viable career path. She emphasized the importance of this, noting that many perceptions of the industry are often far from reality.
“When you say wood industry, immediately people think of bearded men carrying giant axes,” said Vega. “That’s part of it, but what they don’t think about is sophisticated robotic systems, advanced scientific research and the amazing women who are foresters and wood scientists.”
She highlighted the ongoing efforts to promote the WBC to women, including sharing GRA position announcements with Women in STEM clubs. Despite these initiatives, however, men continue to apply in much higher numbers than women. Drawing from 25 years of data at the center, Vega pointed out the fluctuating trends in female applicants. In the past two years, only men have applied, which she sees as the “down” phase of the cycle, with these shifts typically occurring in three-year intervals. Based on this pattern, she predicts that the center will see an increase in female applicants in 2025. They are already starting to see this, with three new female students this year.
“A majority male student population completely reflects the industry,” she said. “But that is something we are striving to change.”
With support from faculty and industry professionals at the WBC, she is planning new activities empowering women in the industry. She hopes that this will help create a space at the center where women, specifically those in the wood products industry, can talk about challenges they face and how to create positive change. This space to create change at the WBC, and through working at OSU, is one of the things she loves most about her job.
“This is among the best colleges in forestry…so that means that the world is looking at us,” she said. “And that has also given me an important platform to have my voice heard in my home country of Peru.”
Through her work with WBC partner universities, she aims to inspire students from her home country of Peru and across the globe and demonstrate that wood science is a rewarding and accessible career in science. Just as her mother inspired her to pursue science and always strive for more, Vega hopes to inspire the next generation of students.
“Sometimes they think it’s out of reach,” she said. “But you never let anything stop you. You just find a way and keep going.”
