AWPA e-Newsletter: March 2021

 

UPDATE

117th Annual Meeting

The AWPA Executive Committee has been carefully considering all of the known factors involved in hosting the 117th Annual Meeting in Charleston, South Carolina as scheduled. It is apparent that the meeting must be postponed to later in 2021.  We are still discussing our options with the hotel in Charleston to hold the meeting at a later date, as well as with the hotel for the Fall Technical Committee Meetings in Santa Fe to determine if it will be possible to hold a combined Annual and Fall Committee meeting.  It may also be necessary to hold the Annual Meeting in a virtual/online format later this year.  As soon as final arrangements are made for the new dates, location, and format for the 2021 Annual Meeting, we will let you know by email.  Please know that we take the health and safety of all members and attendees very seriously, and that we are limited by state and local guidance when making these decisions.  Like many of you, we are hopeful that we can resume our in-person meetings very soon and look forward to seeing you again at an AWPA meeting.

UPDATE

Spring 2021 Standardization Activity

Three standardization proposals were received by AWPA for consideration that were marked urgent and/or time sensitive.  The AWPA Executive Committee reviewed these three proposals and has allowed them to proceed during a special virtual/online meeting of Technical Committee T-4 which will take place on Tuesday, 11 May 2021 at 2:00 PM Central. 

Pre-registration is required to attend the virtual meeting, so click here to register no later than May 4, 2021. If you need assistance logging in, please reply to this message or give us a call. 

All three proposals are posted to the T-4 Committee Page (member login required), and the summary of proposals may be downloaded from the standards activity web page.

Note that the deadline for Fall 2021 Standardization Proposals is July 14, 2021.

RENEWAL

2021 AWPA Membership

Have you renewed your AWPA Membership for 2021?  Membership renewals are currently underway, and you can renew online through the AWPA portal.  Visit the AWPA home page and click “AWPA Member Login” on the red bar at the top of the page.  (Note that if you have not logged in recently, you will need to reset your password using your email address as your username.)  Once your password is updated and you have logged in as a member, click the round profile icon in the top right corner and select ‘My Profile’. In your profile, choose the ‘Membership’ tab in the middle of the screen to see your current renewal option. You can then complete the process by paying with a credit or debit card. You may also update your contact information, communication preferences, and view member pages and other information not available to non-members. 

2021 Regular Membership Dues are $275. Be sure to renew by March 31st to ensure that you continue to receive the benefits of AWPA membership.

WELCOME

New AWPA Member

Congratulations and welcome to our newest member!

Shayla Kelley, Montana Department of Transportation

THANK YOU!

For Purchasing Books of Standards in 2020

The AWPA Executive Committee would like to thank those who continue to support the objectives and purposes of AWPA by purchasing the complete Book of Standards directly from AWPA. The AWPA Standards are the culmination of the expertise and consensus of the AWPA Technical Committees. They guide and govern the wood protection industry, as well as provide credible, valuable information to specifiers and end-users of treated wood. Revenue from Book of Standards sales is a major source of funding to the Association for its standards development work.

Click here to download a listing of those who purchased Books of Standards directly from AWPA in 2020.

Again, many thanks to those who support our standards development process!

STILL AVAILABLE

2020 AWPA Book of Standards

Did you know that most of the funding for AWPA’s standards development process comes from the sale of the AWPA Book of Standards?  Every treating plant, laboratory, specifier, and inspector should have a current edition on-hand, so please be sure to purchase updated copies each year to help AWPA cover the cost of standards development.  If you do not have the 2020 edition, your standards are already outdated!  This edition is available as a hefty 674-page printed book, a searchable read-only USB drive, or a printed book/USB combination. 

To order online, visit the AWPA online store – please note that AWPA members must log in to the store to obtain discounted member pricing. If you prefer to order by mail or fax, a form may be downloaded by clicking this link.

UPDATE

Position Openings

Mississippi State University

Multiple graduate research assistantship positions for Ph.D. or M.S. are available in the Department of Sustainable Bioproducts at Mississippi State University. Successful candidates will be involved in a bio-based materials research program that aims to develop 1) polysaccharide based inclusion complexes for natural wood preservatives and 2) photocatalysts decorated with bio-based carbon for water remediation. The nature of these research topics is highly interdisciplinary and our group uses the experimental materials science approach.  The target starting date is in the Fall semester 2021. The Department of Sustainable Bioproducts will support funding, which will include graduate student’s stipend, tuition waiver, and health insurance. Review of the applications will begin immediately and continue until the positions are filled. A full application to the Graduate School at Mississippi State University will be required for an official offer to be made.  

To apply, please send 1) a cover letter, 2) resume/CV, and 3) contact information of two professional references by email as a single PDF file to Dr. Yunsang Kim (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.). Only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Additional information can be found on the MSU Department of Sustainable Bioproducts website (http://www.cfr.msstate.edu/bioproducts/graduate.asp).

  

 ICC Evaluation Service

ICC-ES has an open position for a Wood Building Product Evaluation Engineer or Specialist in the Birmingham, Alabama office.  While the position is related to wood science or wood engineering, the position will often require evaluations of other materials as well such as plastic, concrete, and steel based on the candidate’s expertise and experience.  The candidate skills, education, and experience shall include: a college degree in civil engineering, structural engineering, and/or wood science; at least four years of experience in the wood construction industry, product testing, or manufacturing; familiarity with preservative-treated wood, fire-retardant treated wood, or has a structural engineering background in wood engineering; P.E. license preferred or the ability to obtain P.E. within one year; familiarity with and experience using IBC and IRC regarding wood construction; and familiarity with and experience using the NDS, SDPWS, AWPA standards, APA standards or ASTM standards regarding wood construction.  

For more information or to submit a resume, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

  

USDA Forest Products Laboratory

USDA Forest Products Laboratory.  Assistant Director (AD) for Research.  This position is located in Madison, WI at a Forest Service Forest Products Laboratory (FPL), the functions of which include utilization and other research related to the timber resources of the United States and the world. The incumbent serves as Assistant Director in charge of Wood Products Research with direct line responsibility for the administration, coordination, and direction of research programs related to a variety of problems including economic feasibility of wood and timber-based products, wood preservation methods, nature and behavior of wood and wood products, the development of economic and life-cycle assessments for wood products and structures, and the basic understanding of wood, including its anatomical, physical and engineering properties.  The incumbent is responsible for science quality assurance and relevance, policy formulation, advice and leadership in responding to complex issues regarding the development of scientific research programs of the FPL. The incumbent is also responsible for supervising, directing, and developing staff if applicable with stakeholder input, and assisting the Project Leaders or Program Managers with development of short-term and long-term programs of research. 

For more information, visit the Forest Service Job Opportunities Vacancy Announcement page (https://fsoutreach.gdcii.com/) and search for “Assistant Director (AD) for Research” in the “Title” box.

UPCOMING

AWPA Meetings

  • Spring Executive Committee Meeting:
    Virtual Meeting, time and date to be determined

  • 117th Annual Meeting:
    May be held in conjunction with the Fall Technical Committee Meetings (September 2021) or
    at a separate time and place to be determined

  • Summer Executive Committee Meeting:
    Birmingham, Alabama, August 2021 (exact date TBD)

  • 2021 Fall Technical Committee Meetings:
    Santa Fe, New Mexico, September 27-30, 2021