BY   STEPHEN LARTEY TEKPETEY (PHD)

FORESTRY RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF GHANA (CSIR-FORIG)

AUGUST 2013

1.0 INTRODUCTION

International visits are essential for networking and sharing of experience among scientists and researchers in diverse disciplines. Such visits expose scientists to best practices and state-of-the-art facilities in a particular field especially in advanced economies. Over the years, wood scientists, technologists and engineers, especially young ones from Africa and other developing countries, have not been able to participate in most international events and also visit reputable academic institutions, foreign laboratories and other industrial settings in the developed countries to enhance their professional development.

Fortunately, SWST provides an excellent platform to abridge this gap in visiting foreign laboratories and academic institutions by its members through its International Professional Visit Program. This report outlines the contacts of key hosts, activities and the achievement during a professional visit to some academic institutions in the United States of America  by the awardee.

2.0 ACTIVITIES

3.0 Contact of Key Host:

1.     Susan E. Anagnost, PhD

Chair and Professor

Chair, Department of Sustainable Construction Management and Engineering

PhD, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, 1990; MS, SUNY College of    Environmental Science and Forestry, 1982; wood anatomy, wood decay, microscopy

SUNY-ESF, Syracuse

seanagno@esf.edu

(315)  470-6837/470-6880

2.     Prof. Robert  W. Meyer

Director, Tropical Timber Information Center

Department of construction management and Wood Products Engineering

SUNY-ESF, Syracuse

rwmeyer@esf.edu

(315)470-6881/470-6880

3.      Judy Barton

Department of construction management and Wood Products Engineering

SUNY-ESF, Syracuse

jabarton@esf.edu

 4 .    Gary M. Scott, PhD

Professor and Chair

Department of paper and Bioprocess Engineering

Director, Division of Engineering

SUNY-ESF, Syracuse

Assistant Provost for Assessment and academic Initiatives

208A Walter Hall

gscott@esf.edu

5.     Attah-Boateng Acheampong

Msc Student

School of Forestry and Environmental Studies

Yale University

6.      Prof. Tim Gregoire

School of Forestry and Environmental Studies

Yale University.

7.      Chadwick Dearing Oliver

Pinchot Professor of Forestry and Environmental Studies

Director, Global Institute of Sustainable Forests

195 Prospect Street, Kroon Hall New Haven CT 06511

Chad.oliver@yale.edu

EXPENDITURE:

CONCLUSION:

The professional visit to some institutions the United State: SUNY-ESF and Yale University and the attendance of the  67^th International convention  of the Forest Product Society and the 56^th International convention of SWST in Austin, Texas has been very helpful in networking with postgraduate students and seasoned wood scientists in the reputable academic institutions in the United State of America. It has also enabled the awardee to experience best practices in the some academic and research institutions in the States. It is hoped that the experience and knowledge acquired and shared during the visit will enhance the research and pedagogy in the awardee’s home institutions especially the Forestry research Institute of Ghana(CSIR-FORIG), the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and the University of Education.

RECOMMENDATIONS

It is recommended that SWST executive board should continue to make some funds available for the visiting Scientists’ program. More funding could be sourced from funding organizations like the International Tropical Timber Organization and other wood related funding agencies in the State.

Awardees of SWST Visiting Scientist Program should be given platform to share their experience with participants at the annual conventions and also be made to visit the SWST office especially for those that will visit the United States.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

My sincere thanks go to the SWST visiting Scientist Committee and the Executive Director of SWST, Victoria Herian for the approval and financial support to undertake the planned visit. The Faculty of the Universities and the departments visited were very welcoming and supportive before and during the visit. I am especially grateful to Prof Robert Meyer, Prof Susan Anagnost of the Department of Sustainable Construction Management and Engineering, SUNY-ESF for hosting me during the visit.  Prof Gary Smith and Judy Barton of the same department were also very supportive. Prof Tim Gregoire, Babara, Atta boateng Acheampong and Prof Oliver of the school of forestry and Environment of Yale University a nd the postgraduate student of the department were excellent. I say a big thanks .Many thanks  go to the Management of the Forestry Research Institute of Ghana (CSIR-FORIG)especially the Director , Dr Victor Agyeman for the permission to undertake the professional Visit. Lastly, to my wife, Mary Tetteh and our son Abel  Tekpetey ,please accept my thanks for your care and kind support. God bless you all.

APPENDIX:

AWARDEE IN SUNY, ESF

S.L Tekpetey and Dr. Susan Anagnost                     S.L .Tekpetey and Prof. Meyer

SUNY ESF Undergraduates

Prof.Meyer and Awardee                                            Awardee giving a lecture at SUNY-ESF,Syracuse

AWARDEE IN YALE UNIVERSITY, New Haven                                                                                 Awardee at Kroon Hall, Yale University

Awardee giving a lecture at Yale University

AT  FPS annual Covention,AUSTIN TEXAS