Blake Hinton and Salim Taylor, both seniors in wood products, use a testing machine to evaluate the strength of solid wood to determine the effect of species or growth rates on the strength of the material." />
Photo Courtesy of Richard L. Lemaster
Blake Hinton and Salim Taylor, both seniors in wood products, use a testing machine to evaluate the strength of solid wood to determine the effect of species or growth rates on the strength of the material.
The College of Natural Resources at N.C. State is offering a sustainable materials and technology major in the Department of Forest Biomaterials.
The program replaced what was formerly the wood products major, which similarly concentrated on biomaterials, but with less emphasis on environmental and economic impacts.
According to Rick Lemaster, a research professor of forest biomaterials, students seeking this major will use a strong foundation in economics, sociology, environmental science and engineering to design, manufacture and sell natural sustainable biomaterials.
Stephen Kelley, head of the Department of Forest Biomaterials, said it is the perfect time to introduce such a major.
“Overall, the University has been slower than others to fully embrace the opportunity to get sustainable technology into our classrooms,” Kelley said. “The wood products major has done a good job of documenting environmental impacts. However, new recognition of environmental benefits as well as recognition on campus calls for a new degree program.”
According to Kelley, students currently in the wood products major can either finish their current degree program or switch to the SMT major. After this group of students; however, the wood products major will no longer be available to incoming students.
“Right now our traditional wood products students that are switching over to sustainable materials are getting multiple job offers for the spring and fall,” Lemaster said.
Kelley said, in terms of the job market, it’s all about the long-term value.
“In the short term, the majority of students will get a job in a more traditional manufacturing setting,” Kelley said. “In the long term, students will have success in that organization, in terms of new value opportunities for the company in sustainable and local filters.”
Kelley encourages those who are interested in engineering and environmental science to consider switching to the SMT major.
“The sooner you switch, the easier it is,” Kelley said. “It is an applied engineering degree. Anyone who is used to technology and not afraid of math should consider.”
According to Kelley, as far he knows, the only university that offers a similar degree program in the UNC-system is Central Carolina Community College.
“They have a similar program, and we are working to link our bachelors with their associates,” Kelley said.
Kelley said the SMT major does differ from the wood products major in substantial ways.
“The major has a complex array of disciplinary classes and content that all need to come together in order to allow the students to be successful,” Kelley said. “This requires some material science engineering but also focus on renewable materials.”
The emphasis of renewable resources and sustainability sets this major apart from any others offered previously, Kelley said. The SMT major will work on analyzing environmental cost benefits and social perceptions, as well as material science technology, according to Kelley.
“We’re bundling three things together – the life cycle and environmental footprint, the social impact in an economic sense, and of course the technological and engineer-based aspect of the materials.” Kelley said.
Lemaster said the Department of Forest Biomaterials is currently preparing a newsletter to give more details about the new major and provide student testimonies.
According to Kelley, this major analyzes the environmental impacts of materials such as wood, bamboo and cork.
Kelley said every material has a downside, and the SMT major will go into greater depth about just what that is and how it affects the market for that material.
According to Lemaster, the majority of SMT students are on scholarship thanks to one of the largest scholarship endowments at N.C. State. The scholarships range from $500 to $5,000.