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Endowed Professorships

HEATHER ALEXANDER
Dwain G. Luce Endowed Professor of Forestry

Alexander is a professor of forest fire and forest ecology. She received her BS in Biology from the University of Texas, her MS in Marine Science from the University of Texas, and her PhD in Biology from the University of Kentucky. Alexander is an expert in the areas of forest ecology, fire ecology, and disturbance ecology.

This professorship was established to strengthen and enhance the programs of longleaf restoration. Dwain Luce stumbled into forestry quite by accident. He earned a chemical engineering degree from Auburn University in 1938 and worked in his chosen field until the beginning of World War II. Luce served in the U.S. Army 82nd Airborne Division and fought in the European Theater. He was a Normandy veteran and earned a Bronze Star for heroic action. Following his service in the Army, Luce returned home to find that not only was his previous job gone, but his interests had also changed. He took a job at a bank as a loan officer specializing in forestland purchases. After discovering he had a knack for it, Luce spent his career as a leader in the banking industry. Luce had a great interest in forestry and wildlife, and he attributed his love for the outdoors as a factor in his survival during World War II.

Li An

LI AN
Solon & Martha Dixon Endowed Professor

An is a professor of landscape ecology, spatial modeling and simulation, and geographical information science. He earned his BS in Urban and Regional Planning (Economic Geography) from Peking University, China, an MS in Probability and Statistics from Michigan State University, an MS in Systems Ecology from Chinese Academy of Sciences, and his PhD in Systems Modeling (Fisheries and Wildlife) from Michigan State University. An is an expert in space-time representation, visualization, analysis, computation, and micro-level simulation of various human-earth systems.

Solon and Martha Dixon’s shared sense of community, passion for education and the state’s natural resources fostered a lifelong philanthropic legacy that continues to benefit the College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment. Solon Dixon was a pioneer of Alabama’s forestry industry, and shortly after the sale of the Dixon Family timber enterprise in 1976, which included sawmills, turpentine stills, gristmills and farms, the Dixons formed the Solon and Martha Dixon Foundation to support their mission of promoting excellence in forestry education. Following Dixon’s passing in 1987, the Solon and Martha Dixon Foundation has continued his legacy of beneficence. In 2009, under Martha’s guidance, the Foundation again partnered with the College to create the Solon and Martha Dixon Endowed Professorship to recognize a superior Forestry faculty member who will strengthen and enhance the program.

Stephen Ditchkoff

STEVE DITCHKOFF
William R. and Fay Ireland Distinguished Professorship in Wildlife Science

Ditchkoff is a Professor of Wildlife Ecology and Management. He received his BS in Fisheries and Wildlife from Michigan State University, his MS in Wildlife Ecology from University of Maine, and his PhD in Wildlife and Fisheries Ecology from Oklahoma State University. Ditchkoff is an expert in reproductive ecology and management of large mammals and wildlife nutrition.

The service legacy of William R. “Bill” Ireland, Sr. can be found throughout the state of Alabama. After his service in the U.S. Navy during World War II, Ireland joined Vulcan Materials Company, which he served for almost 40 years, retiring in 1985 as a member of the board of directors. Ireland devoted much of his post-career time to civic leadership and led many development initiatives for Alabama’s colleges. Alabama’s rivers and forests serve as the most tangible evidence of his love for his home state. Ireland was a leader in many wildlife organizations and shared his passion for the outdoors with his children, grandchildren and wife, Fay. This professorship was established to recognize a high-achieving faculty member in wildlife sciences who interacts with wildlife organizations and cultivates partnerships between private and state wildlife programs and Auburn University.

Tom Gallagher

TOM GALLAGHER
Regions Bank Endowed Professorship in Forest Operations

Gallagher became a professional forester in 1977 when graduated from New York State Ranger School. He then went on to earn a BS in Forest Technology from University of Maine at Orono in 1981 and his MS and PhD in Forestry from Virginia Tech. Gallagher has sixteen years experience with industry, including technical forester, wood procurement forester, and procurement analyst coordinating wood flow to a pulp mill and sawmill.

Regions Financial Corporation is dedicated to helping others in the community and is also committed to education as a means of helping young people prepare for the future. Regions is a major owner and manager of forestland in Alabama with a vested interest in maintaining a robust forestry industry. The creation of the Regions professorships is a partnership with Auburn University to ensure the forest industry continues to be developed through strong research and education at the College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment. This professorship attracts and supports superior faculty to enhance the program of forest operations, utilization, management and economics.

Latif Kalin

LATIF KALIN
Clinton-McClure Professorship

Kalin is the Assistant Director of the Center for Environmental Studies at the Urban-Rural Interface. He received his BS in Civil Engineering from Middle East Technical University in Turkey and his MS and PhD in Civil Engineering from Purdue University. Kalin’s research foci and expertise is water quality/quantity modeling, including the study of pollutant removal in natural and constructed wetlands and land use/cover change impacts on water quality/quantity.

Clinton McClure began his college career at Alabama Polytechnic Institute in 1928. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in general business and received his commission as Second Lieutenant in the Army Reserves. McClure worked with W.T. Smith Lumber Company in Greenville, Alabama, and served his country in World War II. Following the war, McClure returned to Alabama and worked as a consultant with the Alison Lumber Company. As a registered forester and land surveyor, McClure was an active manager of his land and understood the long-term aspects of forest management. He believed in the use of the forest for the production of forest products, wildlife habitats, recreation and aesthetic enjoyment. This professorship was created to strengthen and enhance the programs and, through the quality of the holder’s work, will inspire their colleagues and students.

 

A Maggard

ADAM MAGGARD
Harry E. Murphy Professorship

Maggard is an Extension Specialist and Associate Professor of Forest Systems Management. He received a BS degree in Forest Resources and Conservation from University of Florida, a MS degree in Business Management from University of Florida, and a MS and PhD in Natural Resource Ecology and Management from Oklahoma State University. Maggard’s areas of expertise include financial and economic aspects of forest management and planning, optimizing the use of forest resources, multiple use management and sustainability, productivity of managed forest stands, business planning and management of timber, and non-timber forest products.

Harry Murphy was a forestry graduate of Pennsylvania State University and a veteran of World War II. When he took his first job with the Tennessee Valley Authority in Sheffield, Alabama, he never knew that he would change the forestry consulting industry in the South. In 1952, Murphy partnered with John Bradley, the owner of a small forestry consulting firm. Following this partnership, the firm grew to become Resource Management Service (RMS), which today has an international reputation as an outstanding forestry consulting firm and is one of the largest of its kind in the U.S. Many leaders at RMS can trace their roots back to Auburn’s Forestry program. RMS employs many Auburn forestry graduates and utilizes research developed at the College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment. When Murphy died, he generously left resources to support the College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment. In honor of his contributions, the College created the Harry E. Murphy Professorship to recognize an outstanding faculty member who specializes in forestry-related outreach and extension.

Mark Smith

MARK SMITH
W. Kelly Mosley Environmental Professor

Smith is an Associate Professor and Extension Specialist and serves as the Executive Secretary of the Mosley Environmental Awards Program. He received a BS in Fisheries and Wildlife from Michigan State University and an MS in Wildlife Science and a PhD in Forest Resources from Mississippi State University. Smith has expertise in outreach methodologies, management of invasive wild pigs, and wildlife habitat development.

Kelly Mosley graduated from Auburn University in 1924 and spent 40 years with Southern Bell, retiring in 1963 as Vice President for Public Relations. Although nationally prominent in the communications field during his career, Mosley became widely known outside the industry as a conservation leader and education benefactor. Throughout the years following his retirement, Mosley established lectureships, professorships and conservation award programs at Auburn University. The W. Kelly Mosley Environmental Awards Endowment was established by Mosley and the John and Mary Franklin Foundation in recognition of the importance of the wise use of our natural resources, and awards individuals for their achievements in forestry, wildlife and related resources. This professorship was established to recognize an outstanding extension faculty member in the natural resource profession.

Brian Via

BRIAN VIA
Regions Professor of Forest Products

Via is a Professor and Director of the Forest Products Development Center. He earned his BS in Forest Products and his MS in Wood Engineering/Mechanics at Virginia Tech, and his PhD in Forest Materials Chemometrics at Louisiana State University within the Agricultural and Mechanical College. Via is interested in new product development, nano-composites, the effects of wood quality on wood composite performance, and bio-composites.

Regions Financial Corporation created this professorship to attract and support outstanding faculty to strengthen the program of forest products. The holder will conduct research to retain current markets for the state’s wood supply, assist plants in becoming more competitive and to develop technology to compete in a world market, and assist in developing new forest products and markets for the products being produced.

Daowei Zhang

DAOWEI ZHANG
Alumni Professor
George W. Peake, Jr. Fund for Excellence in Forestry

Zhang is University Alumni Professor of Forest Economics and Policy and director of the Forest Policy Center. He received a BS and MS degree from Southcentral Sci-Tec University of Forestry and Beijing Forestry University in Forest Science and Forest Economics, respectively, and his PhD in Forest Economics from the University of British Columbia. His research interests are the economic and policy aspects of natural resource management.

George Wallace Peake, Jr. graduated from Auburn University in 1950 and began a career in large-scale tree farming while improving upon natural regeneration to replenish forests. Peake implemented the “Highest and Best Use” theory of land management – analyzing a tract of land for its maximum use for 1-100 years, including the development of reserves for wildlife and managed hunting. Peake’s goal for this funding was to support a faculty member specializing in wood utilization, forest management and timberland investment.

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