UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. --Charles Strauss, professor of forest economics, has been named director of Penn State's School of Forest Resources for a three-year term that began May 1. Robert Steele, dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences, announced the appointment of Strauss, who served for 10 months as the school's interim director.

The School of Forest Resources currently enrolls about 380 undergraduate and 130 graduate students. As director, Strauss oversees more than 70 faculty and staff, including two endowed positions, the Maurice K. Goddard Chair in Forestry and Environmental Resource Conservation and the Joseph E. Ibberson Chair in Forest Resources Management.

The school's teaching, research, and cooperative extension and outreach programs focus on wood science; forest biology and management; wood products marketing, management and manufacturing; fisheries and wildlife science and management; urban and community forestry; watershed science and management; wetlands ecology; and genetics and systematics.

Strauss has served the university for more than 40 years. His academic interests include recreation economics, energy economics and investment analysis of resource systems. His research on the economic impact of travel and tourism has included an evaluation of heritage tourism in southwestern Pennsylvania and a study of eco-tourism surrounding the elk herd in northcentral Pennsylvania.

Strauss has taught several undergraduate and graduate courses and served on many university and statewide boards and committees. His numerous honors include the Research Honor Award from the Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society, the Professional Service Award from the Pennsylvania Forestry Association and the School of Forest Resources Outstanding Faculty Award, which is selected by graduate and undergraduate student groups.

Strauss began his professional career as a technical design representative for the California Redwood Association in 1960. In 1961, he came to Penn State as a forest products extension specialist. He joined the resident faculty as an instructor in 1966, attaining the rank of full professor in 1990.

Strauss holds three Penn State degrees: a bachelor's in forest management, a master's in economics and a doctorate in agricultural economics. He also earned a master's degree in forest products marketing from Michigan State University.

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EDITORS: Charles Strauss can be reached by phone at 814-865-4574 or by e-mail at chs3@psu.edu.

Contact: Chuck Gill cdg5@psu.edu 814-863-2713 814-865-1068 fax #183