Dr. Robert G. Wagner, Northeastern States Research Cooperative (NSRC) Theme 3 Director at the University of Maine (UMaine) in Orono, has accepted the position of head of Forestry and Natural Resources at Purdue University in Indiana. He will begin in fall 2016 and will transition from his various positions at UMaine over the summer.
As Theme 3 Director, Bob was instrumental in the funding of more than 30 research projects totaling nearly $1.5 million that addressed forest productivity and forest products by principal investigators throughout the Northern Forest region.
“I am looking forward to the change and a new challenge,” said Bob, who served as faculty member since 1998 and director of the Cooperative Forestry Research Unit at the University of Maine since 1999. “I have had a very rewarding 18 years at UMaine. One of the highlights of my time at UMaine has certainly been working with all of you through the NSRC. Through this program, I believe, we have made a real difference in forest science research in the Northeast.”
Bob’s tenure with the NSRC began in 2010 when he also became director of the University of Maine’s Center for Research on Sustainable Forests following Dr. Bruce Wiersma’s retirement. The Center initiates and conducts research on commercial forests, family forests, conservation lands, and nature-based tourism.
“Bob Wagner joined the NSRC leadership team at a critical time, much to the benefit of the program,” states Dr. John Brissette, Assistant Director of Research for the USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station, the supporting organization for NSRC. “When Bob came, we were transitioning from a program of four independent themes to one in which we strive to support the best science, regardless of theme. That was an important adjustment to how NSRC was managed, requiring new ways of doing almost everything from announcing RFPs, to reviewing proposals, to making selections for funding, to explaining NSRC to key stakeholders. Bob’s experience and thoughtful approach were instrumental in bringing about those changes. NSRC is a better, stronger program because of Bob’s leadership.”
As the Henry W. Saunders Distinguished Professor in Forestry at UMaine, Bob conducted a program of research and instruction in silviculture, forest regeneration, vegetation management, forest ecology, and forest modeling. As director of the Cooperative Forestry Research Unit, representing owners and managers of more than 8 million acres of forestland in Maine, he brought together diverse organizations that include industrial forestland owners, large family forest owners, timber investment management organizations (TIMOs), real estate investment trusts (REITs), conservation organizations, pulp mills, energy companies, and government agencies to collaborate on research surrounding common forest resource problems.
Over the summer, UMaine will determine the next Director of the Center for Research on Sustainable Forests who will take over the reins of NSRC Theme 3. Until a decision is made, Bob and Meg Fergusson, Manager of NSRC Theme 3, will continue to work together to manage NSRC projects.