The Chairman's Blog

Jobs That Pay

2011-11-11T04:55:00.001-08:00

In a recent edition of Rick Reagan’s “Money in Your Pocket” segment on News Channel 9 morning news show, Rick Reagan talks about career fields that are in demand (http://www.9wsyr.com/mediacenter/local.aspx?videoId=3010140&navCatId=20739). In this segment he compares the number of students getting degrees in Computer Science, Chemical Engineering, and Math and Science with those in Visual and Performing Arts, Psychology, and Communication & Journalism. From the 1984-1985 time frame to the 2008-2009 time frame, the number of graduates in the first group has remained steady or declined, while the second group has more than doubled. This has led to a significant increase in demand for graduates with these degrees, especially in chemical engineering. Graduates in the second group (the right-hand three bars in the graph) are having significantly more trouble getting jobs after graduation in addition to experiencing lower starting salaries.

The programs at SUNY-ESF in the Paper and Bioprocess Engineering Department provide chemical-engineering based programs in Paper Engineering and Bioprocess Engineering. Graduates from these programs are in high demand with starting salaries averaging $65,000 to $70,000. Our students are being placed in positions all over the United States.

Please see our website at www.esf.edu/pbe for more information about out programs and feel free to contact us for more information.

1st Annual 3K Paper Run

2010-10-16T08:31:00.001-07:00

Saturday morning, 16 October, was the running of the 1st Annual 3K Paper Run sponsored by the Papyrus Club of SUNY-ESF. The event was held in conjunction with the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Syracuse Pulp and Paper Foundation (SPPF), which has provided over $3.6 million dollars in scholarships since 196j0 to students studying in the Department of Paper and Bioprocess Engineering (PBE).

The course begin by the famous Robin Hood Oak between Walters and Bray Hall before proceeding into Oakwood Cemetary behind the campus. After looping through the cemetery, the race finished behind Walters Hall. Seventeen people braved the cold, windy weather to complete the course. The participants included 9 PBE students, 4 PBE faculty members, 1 director of SPPF, and several relatives of students and faculty.

The winner of the race was Pavlev Bujanovic, the son of Dr. Biljana Bujanovic, a professor in the PBE Department. Tom Forte, and Steven Tyrell, students in the PBE Department, finished 2nd and 3rd. The top faculty finisher was Dr. Gary Scott, the chair of the department and Steve Lachasz was the top finisher among the SPPF Directors. The complete results are given below.

Team Zipprich before the race.

The blazing start.

Some Finishers.

2010 3k Paper Run
16 October 2010

Bib Number	Time	Name
208	0:11:30	Bujanovic, Pavlev
209	0:11:34	Forte, Tom (PBE student)
203	0:11:43	Tyrell, Steven (PBE student)
202	0:12:28	Zipprich, Derek (PBE student)
213	0:12:39	Rimmer, Tom (PBE student)
204	0:12:55	Zipprich, Caryle
214	0:13:03	Streczywilk, Chris (PBE student)
201	0:13:27	Scott, Gary (PBE Faculty)
212	0:14:06	Whitman, Dennis (PBE student)
205	0:14:50	Lachasz, Steve (SPPF Director)
211	0:15:01	Dimarco, Dan (PBE student)
215	0:15:33	Murphy, Andrew (PBE student)
210	0:17:27	Doelle, Klaus (PBE Faculty)
216	0:20:51	Planter, Corey (PBE student)
206	0:21:08	Bujanovic, Tomislav
217	0:21:21	Lai, Yuan-Zong (PBE Faculty)
207	0:22:32	Bujanovic, Biljana (PBE Faculty)

Career Paths for Paper and Bioprocess Engineering Graduates

2010-10-15T07:20:00.001-07:00

On Wednesday, 13 October 2010, Mr Lester Lee spoke to the students about career paths after receiving your degree from SUNY-ESF. In his talk, he used his career with Honeywell as an example. Mr Lee was a 1963 graduate of the Paper Science program and after initially working for Hammermill Paper in Erie, PA, he joined a control system supplier that eventually became part of Honeywell. After 41 years with this company, he recently retired and is currently consulting within the paper industry.

His message to the students included advice on how to create your own opportunities within the industry, with the first step being getting your degree. With the degree, the students will have the technical requirements to succeed in the industry, but it is up to the student to continue learning and developing new skills, especially the personal and leadership skills. Mr Lee pointed out that there are a large number of paths to develop these skills and to continue learning throughout a career including advanced degrees, short courses, seminars, and self-development tapes, CDs, and DVDs. His two favorite self-learning courses are by Brain Tracy (www.briantracy.com): "The Psychology of Achievement" and "The Psychology of Sales."

In closing, Mr Lee gave the following advice:

With your degree, you have a significant number of career opportunities open to you.
Figure out which situation would make you happy, and go after it with enthusiasm.
Continue your education, through DVD’s or tapes that allow you to learn from the best.
Apply the positive thinking principles, to achieve great results in your career and in your life.

A New Academic Year in Paper and Bioprocess Engineering

2010-10-15T07:05:00.001-07:00

A new academic year has started at SUNY-ESF and with the new year comes a new group of students starting in our Paper Engineering and Bioprocess Engineering programs as well as a new look for the space between Walters and Bray Halls.

Due to the beginning of the construction of the new Gateway Building on the parking lot behind Moon Library, the area between Walters and Bray Halls and around the Robin Hood Oak has been reconfigured to provide the parking that will be lost. This has required the relocation of the Lincoln statue that has sat in front of Walters Hall since the early 1970s. With much fanfare, Lincoln was moved to his new location at the north end of Bray Hall where he now welcomes students entering the Quad from between Bray and Illick Halls.

We also welcomed 28 new students to our programs in PBE. This year, the class was almost evenly split between Paper Engineering (13 students) and Bioprocess Engineering (15 students). In addition, we welcomed 3 exchange students from Sichuan University in Chengdu, China and a dual degree student from the Beijing University of Chemical Technology from Beijing, China.

Please return to the blog as I will be posting information about the events of the semester.

Monday in Beijing (The Last Day)

2010-05-31T11:46:00.001-07:00

Monday, our last full day in Beijing, has been designated the shopping day for the students. Those that want to go shopping will be able to finish purchasing the souvenirs. The students are heading back down to Dashilan and Qingmen for shopping, which is south of Tiananmen Square. The subway from the hotel (which is a two minute walk from the hotel) goes to Qingmen with only one train change needed. The students had a successful shopping trip, returning with gifts for various people back home.

Entrance to Dashilan.

Sunday shoppers on Dashilan

Sanitation equipment on Dashilan.

Street food vendor.

Father and daughter on Qingmen St.

Some of the students have also been joining me for tai chi in the morning. I also to took the opportunity to call upon my tai chi teacher’s teacher in Beijing, Liu laoshi. I had to opportunity to meet with him twice during my stay in Beijing for afternoon tai chi lessons. At his apartment in northwest Beijing, I also met with another student of his, Jeff, who had just arrived from Seattle where he teaches Chinese at the University of Washington. It was an honor to have a tai chi lesson from the master in Beijing. It was very gracious of Liu laoshi and his wife, Jiang laoshi, to open their home to me.

Beth Arthur and Michael Garver practicing tai chi in the morning.

Push Hands with Liu laoshi at his apartment.

Jeff, Liu laoshi, and myself.

After one last tour in the morning, we leave for the airport and home.

Sunday in Beijing

2010-05-31T00:09:00.001-07:00

The students travelled today to visit the Summer Palace, which was built by the Empress Dowager, the only ruling Empress of China. The Summer Palace includes many buildings, a Buddhist temple, a man-made lake, and a marble boat.

I visited a park I had not seen before since I had already been to the Summer Palace. North of the Forbidden City, it was called Ditan Park and contained the Temple of Earth. While not as developed or popular as the Temple of Heaven, it was a very pleasant park (relatively uncrowded) and contained various signs and displays regarding good health.

Shrine within Ditan Park.

Central platform of the Temple of Earth.

We ate again at our favorite restaurant near the hotel where the students are staying. The students are doing well with the food, with two of the students taking a particular liking to dumplings. While we have been trying different foods at the restaurants, they are developing some favorites that they like to have each time we go to the restaurant. See below for some of the dishes we order at this dinner.

Students dining at our favorite restaurant in Beijing.

Mushrooms.

Nearing the completion of our visit to China

2010-05-29T18:00:00.001-07:00

As we near the completion of our visit to China, the students are seeing a few last sights in Beijing. On Friday, the students visited the Beijing Zoo. Although there were thunderstorms, they enjoyed seeing all the animals. On Saturday, the students visited the Beijing City Museum, where they learned about the history of Beijing. After some shopping, they visited the Olympic Village in the evening. A number of students from China University of Chemical Technology have been serving as tour guides for the students. The students have been in good hands and are learning about Chinese society and student life through this interaction with their counterparts.

Sunset over the Beijing Skyline and the Olympic Media Building.

Qingmen Shopping Street.

Church on Wangfujing Street.

Wangfujing Shopping Street.

Thursday in Beijing

2010-05-27T04:06:00.001-07:00

Thursday brought the students to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. To get from the hotel to Tiananmen Square, we rode the Beijing subway for the first time. As it was the tail end of rush hour, the term “packed in like sardines” definitely comes to mind.

After looking briefly around Tiananmen Square, I parted company with the students while they went on to explore Tiananmen Square, have lunch, and visit the Forbidden City. That schedule should keep them busy for most of the day.

In front of the Forbidden City.

For more on the students’ travels, please see http://ramaraophdstudent.blogspot.com/.

I looked around the south side of the Tiananmen Square, an area that I had not ventured to on previous trips to China. Behind there I found another gate to the city called Zhengyangmen. It is the largest of the city gates, located at the southern end of the inner city of Beijing.

Beyond the gate from Tiananmen Square, I found the shopping area called Qingmen and the famous side shopping street called Dashilan. This whole area has recently been renovated, and I believe looks quite a bit different from what it used to several years ago. However, I was able to find a number of items that people have asked me to bring back from China.

Wednesday in Beijing

2010-05-27T04:04:00.001-07:00

Today the students and I went our separate ways for the day. While they were travelling to the Great Wall of China, Dr Liu and I visited with the China University of Mining and Technology (CUMT), which has a Chemical and Environmental Engineering Department. It was nice to have a discussion with our counterparts in a “small” Chinese university (only about 20000 students).

Beth Arthur, the graduate student along and helping with the class, has posted pictures of their adventures on the Great Wall at Badaling. Please refer to her blog at http://ramaraophdstudent.blogspot.com/.

After my visit at CUMT and some shopping, I walked over to the site of the 2008 Olympics. It was impressive to walk up to the Bird’s Nest and the Water Cube. Unfortunately, the only events that seem to be going on there are tourists coming to see the venue; there does not seem to be a lot of other events going on. However, there does seem to be a lot of people visiting the site.

The students and I met up for dinner after their return from the Great Wall. The general consensus was that it was a good trip. We had an excellent meal at a nearby restaurant. Amazing, it is possible to feed 10 hungry students for less than $30 in China.

The Bird’s Nest.

Statue on the Olympic Plaza.

The Water Cube.

Travel to Bejing

2010-05-25T18:04:00.001-07:00

Today, we travelled to the final city on our itinerary: Beijing. While our transfer from Chengdu to Xi’an took 16 hours by train, the plane trip from Xi’an to Beijing took less than 2 hours. While the students enjoyed the train experience, I’m sure they also liked the convenience and speed of plane travel.

After arriving in Beijing in the morning, we visited with representatives of the Beijing University of Chemical Technology (BUCT), which is where we are staying. I had the opportunity to interview several Chinese students from BUCT that may be going to SUNY-ESF to complete their senior year of studies through a dual-degree program that we have with BUCT. Many of these students will also help our students with their touring in Beijing.

Over the next week in Beijing, the students will be visiting a number of different sites throughout the area including, the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace, the Olympic Village, the Beijing Zoo, and the Yong He Temple. While the students are visiting these sites, I will be visiting a number of other universities in the area with Dr Liu, who has made many of the arrangements for this trip. Hence, our students, with the help of students from BUCT, will be seeing the sights while I make these and other visits. Beth Arthur, one of our graduate students on the trip, is also blogging at http://ramaraophdstudent.blogspot.com/. Please also look at her site to keep up with the students.

Beijing skyline with Olympic Media Building in the background.

Beth Arthur presenting to students and faculty at Shaanxi University.

Touring in Xi’an

2010-05-23T20:39:00.001-07:00

Today we learned more about the history of China by visiting the Shaanxi History Museum which contains many items collected from the area of historical note. Xi’an is the China end of the Silk Road and so had a great deal of interaction with the West.

Pot with dragon handles in the Shaanxi museum.

Bells in the Shaanxi museum.

We also visited a local park in Xi’an which has the Wild Goose Pagoda as its centerpiece. The pagoda is park of a Buddhist monastery. The park surrounding the monastery also had many statues and also included the largest water fountain in Asia. Three times a day, there is a fountain show that is coordinated with music. During the show many people (including several of our students) run through the fountain.

Wild Goose Pagoda.

Statue near the Wild Goose Pagoda.

Fountain show.

The final stop was the Muslim street near the Drum Tower in Xi’an. This street is known for its plethora of restaurants and shops.

Shopping street near the Drum Tower in Xi’an.

Terra Cotta Warriors of Xi’an

2010-05-22T18:57:00.001-07:00

Today we visited the famous Terra Cotta Warriors in Xi’an. These figures were buried to serve the first emperor of China in the afterlife. To assure that he had an army in the afterlife, he had lifesize clay figures of his army created and buried. Unfortunately, they were discovered and partially destroyed before being found again by a farmer digging a well. The farmer that found them was also there.

The location is still under excavation with the archeological work being done at night while the museum and the pits are open to the public during the day. So in China, archeology is a night job.

Farmer (sitting at the table) who discovered the Terra Cotta Warriors.

Terra Cotta Warrior Puppet from the Olympics.

Four horses in the pit.

Original State before restoration.

Restored Terra Cotta Warriors.

Bamboo Park in Chengdu/To Xi’an by Train

2010-05-21T09:27:00.001-07:00

In the afternoon, Dr Liu and I had the opportunity to walk around Bamboo Park in Chengdu, which is right next to Sichuan University. The park lives up to its name, growing many different kinds of bamboo. In addition to growing bamboo, the park contains a significant number of pieces of artwork created out of bamboo, some of them quite large.

Bamboo art.

The park also contained a number of museums to an ancient poet, to paper making, and even exhibited artwork from a local school. The park was also popular for tea and to enjoy a game of mahjongg.

Mahjongg players.

Stone bridge.

In the evening, we headed to the train station for the 16 hour train ride from Chengdu to Xi’an through the mountains. As it was an overnight train trip, we booked into the “hard sleeper” car, which lets you lay down to sleep for the nighttime portion of the trip.

Inside the sleeper car.

After boarding at 9:00 pm, it was lights out at 10:00pm until 7 am the next morning. With the morning light, we were well into the mountains, climbing to a peak of about 4600 feet in elevation before dropping to 1400 ft in Xi’an. The views through the mountains were incredible.

Following the river through the mountains.

Mountain road.

On the train, there were six people to a “compartment” with two fold down seats in the aisle next to the windows. Each traincar slept 66 people and the train was full.

On the train.

After arriving in Xi’an and getting to the hotel, we had an early dinner at the hotel. Tomorrow, we will be heading to see the famous Terra Cotta Warriors of Xi’an.

Dining at the hotel.

Salmon for dinner.

Pandas and Ancient History

2010-05-19T10:11:00.001-07:00

Today (Wednesday), the students and I visited the Chengdu Research base of Giant Panda Breeding. This is one of the primary sites in the world dedicated to breeding and maintaining the population of giant pandas, of which there are only about 1000 left living in the wild. Walking around the research center, we saw at least a dozen giant pandas and about a half dozen of the smaller red pandas. The giant pandas diet consists of primarily bamboo, requiring approximately 40 kg of bamboo a day. Because of this large amount of food required, pandas spend a large amount of time eating and resting. Several of the students paid additionally in order to pet a panda and to have their picture taken with one of them.

After lunch, we visited the Sanxingdui Historic Site. This is an archeological site of civilization that existed in this area about 4000 years ago but has since disappeared. They left behind a large number of artifacts including various jade pieces, pottery, and bronze statues and masks. The most interesting were the masks, which bear a striking resemblance to faces depicted in the ancient Incan culture.

Tomorrow, after visiting at Sichuan University, we will board a night train for Xi’an.

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The PBE Department Returns to China

2010-05-18T13:32:00.001-07:00

Dr. Shijie Liu and Dr. Gary M. Scott are once again taking a group of students to mainland China as an international experience organized by the PBE Department. The last time a group of students went to China was the Spring of 2008, when a group of 5 students visited Guangzhou, Xiamen and Beijing for 3 weeks. On this year’s trip, 10 students will visit and study Chinese culture, history, and environment from 14 May to 1 June. As I write this, the students and Dr. Liu are already in China and I am awaiting my flight to Beijing to catch up with them, having to stay through the weekend for the SUNY-ESF commencement activities.

This years itinerary includes visits to Chengdu, Xi’an, and Beijing. It is hard to imagine that it has been two years since the earthquake in the Sichuan province of China had prevented us from visiting this area of China on our previous trip. After a couple of days in Chengdu, we will be taking a train to Xi’an, the home of the famous Terra Cotta Warriors. The last leg of our journey will take us back to Beijing to visit popular sights there including, the Great Wall of China, the Forbidden City, and the Summer Palace.

During their stays in the various cities in China, students will have many opportunities to interact with students at various universities across China. We hope that these exchanges will benefit not only the students from SUNY-ESF, but also help Chinese university students learn from our students. Based on our experiences from two years ago, we expect that students from both countries will be richer from this experience.

As our travels progress, I plan on keeping you up-to-date on our experiences with descriptions and pictures. Please remember that China is exactly 12 hours of Eastern Daylight Time ahead, so posts will most likely appear either late evening to early morning as I find the time to post.

Dollar Bill Origami

2010-01-04T11:19:00.001-08:00

(Courtesy of Linda Fagan, Administrative Manager for the Syracuse Pulp and Paper Foundation)

Origami is the traditional Japanese art of paper folding. The goal of this art is to create a representation of an object using geometric folds and crease patterns preferably without the use of gluing or cutting the paper, and using only one piece of paper.

Won   Park is the master of Origami. He is also called the "money folder", a practitioner of origami whose canvas is the United States One Dollar Bill.

Bending, twisting, and folding, he creates life-like shapes in stunning detail.
One Dollar

One Dollar      Butterfly

One Dollar        Camera

Two Dollars            Battle Tank

Two Dollars        Chinese Dragon

Two Dollars       Spider

One Dollar     Toilet Bowl


One Dollar      Penguin

One Dollar      Shark

One Dollar     Jet

Paper Bridge Contest

2009-10-13T08:58:00.001-07:00

The students in PSE 300 (Introduction to Papermaking) engaged in a paper bridge building contest as part of their course (http://www.esf.edu/catalog/PSE.asp). The students had to build a bridge primarily out of paper or paperboard that could span a distance of 2 feet and hold weights at the center of the span. The goal of the exercise was have the highest ratio of weight held per weight of the bridge. A number of different designs were created and tested with some bridges holding over 20 pounds of weight.

This course is the introductory course in the technology and engineering of papermaking for those students in the Paper Engineering and Paper Science programs at SUNY-ESF. Paper Engineering is our ABET-accredited engineering program on campus that is essentially a chemical engineering-based program for the paper industry. However, students that graduate from the program can go on to careers with non-paper companies such as chemical companies, equipment suppliers, as well as working for the paper industry. Some graduates have also gone on successfully to graduate school in a number of different fields. Starting salaries for graduates from our program in May 2009 had an average starting salary of $67,000.

Please explore our website (www.esf.edu/pbe) for more information about our programs.

2nd Annual Paper Airplane Fly-In

2009-10-13T08:43:00.001-07:00

The students in the Department of Paper and Bioprocess Engineering (www.esf.edu/pbe) held their 2nd Annual Paper Airplane Fly-In, where students, faculty, guests, and sons and daughters of faculty and students created paper airplanes. The planes were subsequently launched from the bridge connecting Walters Hall (http://www.esf.edu/welcome/campus/walters.htm)and Bray Hall onto the East Quad.

The students were going for distance as well as accuracy towards a target about 30 feet away from the bridge on the back of the statue of Lincoln.

Once again, a number of different designs were seen including a recreation of the largest paper airplane that was seen last year.

It's flight was just as "spectacular" as last year.

Visit by Secretary of Energy, Dr. Stephen Chu

2009-10-12T08:43:00.001-07:00

On Friday, 9 October 2009, the Secretary of Energy, Dr. Stephen Chu, visited the SUNY-ESF campus to look at the development of the "green" technology going on across campus. In particular, he visited Walters Hall to tour the biorefinery plant where students and researchers are working to turn wood chips, a renewable resource, into biofuel, plastics, and paper. This work is part of the research program in the Department of Paper and Bioprocess Engineering at SUNY-ESF (www.esf.edu/pbe).

More information about the visit and the announcements made at the press conference can be found at http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2009/10/energy_secretary_steven_chu_in.html from the Syracuse Post-Standard and http://www.esf.edu/communications/view.asp?newsID=280 from the SUNY-ESF website.

Dr. Chu touring the biorefinery plant in Walters Hall.

Dr. Chu, President Neil Murphy, and Rep. Dan Maffei reviewing research posters in Walters Hall.

Press conference in Bray Hall.

---Photos courtesy of Winnie Tsui.

Student Speech at SPPF Recognition Luncheon

2009-10-12T04:45:00.001-07:00

Every Fall, the Syracuse Pulp and Paper Foundation (http://www.esf.edu/pbe/sppf/) honors those students receiving scholarships to study Paper Engineering and Paper Science at SUNY-ESF (www.esf.edu/pbe). This year's luncheon was held on Thursday, 8 October 2009. The luncheon brings together students, faculty, staff, and most importantly representatives from the companies that support the students through the foundation.

The highlight of the luncheon are the student speakers. One of the speakers, Matt Ali, is a graduating senior in the Paper Engineering program. He gave an excellent talk of his experiences during his undergraduate career in the Department of Paper and Bioprocess Engineering. He has graciously allowed his speech to be reproduced below.

The Final Speech
by Matt Ali

As I began writing this speech, I had a lot of things run through my mind as what to write about. I tried parroting some of the better speeches I have ever heard, so here goes Four score and seven years ago, I had a dream that is wasn’t what my country could do for me, but what I could do for my country. Pending any legal ramifications I didn’t think that would work out, so I decided to use this opportunity to maximize my efficiency and tell everyone, everything they need to know before I leave.

To my colleges, Congratulations!, look around you, you are in a prestigious institution with a high caliber faculty that expect nothing but the best out of their students. This makes for one of the finest educations, that is truly second to none. The people sitting next to you are some of the most powerful and influential people within our industry, and it is no accident that most of them are graduates from the very program you are attending. Feel privileged, you are in good company.

To the freshman in the crowd hold on tight, because you are in for the ride of your life. Take the next few years of your life for what they are, many of you will have good times and bad, Try new things, meet new people learn and grow. Live your life so that when you reflect on the past you will have nothing but admiration for what you have done and how far you have come. It is best to regret an action, rather than an in-action.

To those of us who are graduating. KUDOS! We did it. We are about to being a new chapter in our lives. But take a moment and a few deep breaths and appreciate those around you. In a few months the relationships you have with your peers, your friends and even your family will change. As your life and career will take you away, there life will take them. Love them for who they are, tell them what they mean to you, you may not get a second chance. Don’t’ be afraid, in your life you’ll have to get dirty, you’ll make mistakes, but know that whatever mistakes you make others have made them, picked up the pieces and carried on, Whatever woes you have lived through embrace them, they will make you stronger and they will teach you. Understand life is about fear; those that are brave will make a life worthy to be remembered. In regards to your profession life, fight a good fight, fight evil, but first understand evil, and never be so naïve as to believe that you and your actions couldn’t be the evil. Understand your own humanity and never make a decision that could rob you of it.

To my employers, to the lucky few that has been gracious enough to give me a job. Just this past summer I was privileged enough to work for Albany International. In retrospect I can say now that I have truly valued my time with them. I was given an excellent opportunity to expand not only my abilities in engineering but also my understanding of what my boss John Hawes would call the Cadillac of corrugator belts. But seriously despite what ever preconceived notions I might have had of how interns are treated there, I can say unequivocally that I was welcomed with open arms even in a rough time and was treated not only as an equal but as a friend. It is that kinship that puts the longevity into a company like Albany and the reason why they have been so successful (aside from the corrugators).

To the Faculty, during my time at ESF I have had the esteemed privilege of learning under some of the most brilliant people in the world. I have been continually taken aback at the depth and breadth of their knowledge, for not only the subjects being presented but for any subject that is discussed. To preface Sir Isaac Newton I truly stood upon the shoulders of giants. There is no possible way to convey the depths of my gratitude for all you have given me. I once spoke with a teacher and asked him, why out of all of the careers he could have pursued, why for go fame and fortune to be a teacher. With a serious tone he told me, if he could just make a difference in one student’s life, then all the sacrifice would have been worth it. I understand now that his sentiment is not unique, and for what it’s worth to you, I am that student.

I couldn’t possibly end this speech without giving special thanks to the SPPF office (Linda & Deb); in retrospect I do not know how I would have finished this program without them. I’m not much for analogies but, it was as though I was adrift at sea and they became the compass I used to find my way. They are to the college and to the students truly worth their weight in gold.

Finally, to everyone that I have meet, befriended, worked with, worked for or learned from I have but one final thing to say to all of you. For every experience that I have gotten to be a part of, to every sleepless night I have endured, to every lesson that I have sat through and has now become a part of me, I say to all of you truly from the bottom of my heart:

Thank You

2009 International Biorefinery Conference

2009-10-06T11:39:00.001-07:00

The 2009 International Biorefinery Conference opened today at the DoubleTree Hotel in Syracuse, New York and is two days of information on the emerging technology relating to the use of renewable resources for the production of energy, fuels, and other materials. The conference is bringing together researchers, energy producers, biomass producers, and many others from around the world. A particularly large contingent of participants has come from China. As of this morning, attendance was at 158.

The topics being covered range from the production of the feedstock for the various technologies that can convert the biomass into the various products that have traditionally been made from non-renewable resources. Sessions during the conference include such topics as the Forest Biorefinery, Chemical Processing, Pretreatment, Cellulose and Lignin Conversion, Biodiesel, Fermentation, Byproducts, and the Economics of the various processes. More information about the program can be found at the SUNY-ESF website (www.esf.edu/pbe).

The after lunch speaker, Dr. Jennifer Holmgren, the Director of Renewable Energy and Chemicals at UOP, discussed UOP's effort to produce jet fuel from renewable resources. In tests, three jets (two 747's and one 737) were flown commercially on jet fuels produced from a variety of biomass feedstocks, including algae. The demos were successful in showing that they could produce the jet fuel as well demonstrating that it could be successfully used in a commercial setting. The fuel produced is currently going through the Fuel Qualification Process, which is a sequence of tests at various levels. It is expected that the fuels will be fully certified in 2010.

The organizers would like to particularly thank the following sponsors of the conference:

Syracuse Center of Excellence

Emerson

NationalGrid

Agenda 2020

Maas Companies

Applied Biorefinery Sciences

New Holland

SUNY-ESF

For more information regarding the information presented at this conference, please see the following journals, which will be publishing the papers from this conference:

Journal of Biotechnology Advances

Journal of Biomass and Bioenergy

Journal of Biobased Materials and Bioenergy

Working in the Paper Industry

2009-10-02T11:01:00.001-07:00

A recent survey by the Syracuse Pulp and Paper Foundation asked the question of alumni of the Paper Engineering and Paper Science programs at SUNY-ESF, "Would you still recommend a career in the pulp and paper industry to a college student? Why or why not?" Chester Dunbar Crowell, Jr. ’52 gave a uniquely thoughtful response: “I would recommend a career in the pulp and paper industry to conserve world forests.”

Marbling with Mimi Schliecher

2009-09-16T08:27:00.001-07:00

This week we had the pleasure of having Mimi Schliecher with us to demonstrate paper marbling. Marbling is a surface art form that transfers floating inks to paper. In the process, ink of various colors are floated on the surface of water and moved into designs using various rakes and combs. A print of this ink is made by lowering a sheet of paper onto the surface to make a unique print of the design. Marbling as an art form reaches back to Turkey and perhaps as far back as Japan and China from many hundreds of years ago.

During her visit, Mimi helped students in PSE 201-The Art and History of Papermaking- design and make some of their own marbled paper. In addition, a workshop was held were various members of the campus community were able to also try their hand at marbling.

If you want to learn more about marbling, please visit her website at http://marbling.com.

Mimi Schleicher

Mimi's work

Artists at work

PBE Students at the Westcott Street Cultural Fair

2009-09-15T05:44:00.001-07:00

Students from the Department of Paper and Bioprocess Engineering teamed up with the Girl Scouts to offer handmade papermaking at the Westcott Street Cultural Fair on Sunday, 13 September 2009. The Fair is a annual, one-day celebration of the diversity of the Westcott Street neighborhood including kids' activities, performing art, a parade, and of course food. More information about the fair can be found at www.westcottfair.org.

PBE Students teamed up with the Girl Scouts of Troop 487 to offer handmade papermaking in the kids' activity area near the branch library. With the help of the Girl Scouts and PBE students, visitors were able to make and decorate sheets of paper from recycled newsprint. This fit directly in with the "Green Theme" of the fair for this year.

Paper and Bioprocess Engineering at the Fair

2009-09-08T07:44:00.001-07:00

Once again the PBE department worked a day at the New York State Fair at the SUNY-ESF tent near the State Park Buildings. As we do every year, the projects of the day were handmade papermaking and chromotography flowers. The weather was nice and the business was brisk at the tent.

The paper chromotography flowers are created from filter paper and water-soluble markers. As the water wicks up through the filter paper, it carries the various colored dyes from the markers, making a colorful array of flowers.

Visitors were also able to make a sheet of handmade paper and decorate it with pulp painting. Making a sheet of paper involves a number of steps including forming the sheet, couching, pressing, and finally air drying the sheet. Manning the both during the course of the day were faculty, staff, students, and even a member of the Board of Directors of the Syracuse Pulp and Paper Foundation.

Many of the visitors were quite creative in the decorating of their sheet of paper using pulp painting.

Students at SUNY-ESF are able to learn more about the artistic nature of paper and the history of paper and its influence on the development of civilization. PSE 201-The Art and History of Papermaking-is a new course being offered for the second time through the PBE department. It covers the artistic aspects of paper as well as the history of paper, especially in ancient China. Students taking this course can satisfy the SUNY General Education requirement in either "The Arts" or "Other World Civilizations."

A New Year Begins

2009-09-02T08:50:00.001-07:00

Welcome back to the Chairman's Blog for the Department of Paper and Bioprocess Engineering at the State University of New York--College of Environmental Science and Forestry. A lack of posts over the summer does not indicate a lack of activity, just a break from blogging. I hope to keep you up to date on a weekly basis over the next academic year.

This year we are welcoming 26 new students to the program: 17 freshman and 9 transfer students. We have students enrolling in all three of our programs: Paper Engineering, Paper Science, and Bioprocessing Engineering. The Bioprocess Engineering has become our most popular program in terms of new students, accounting for about 2/3 of the total incoming students.

As part of their introduction to SUNY-ESF and the PBE department, we held an orientation program for the new students which also included a number of tours. As we did in years past, we toured RockTenn Solvay (formerly Solvay Paperboard) and the InBev Budweiser plant (Anhaeuser-Busch). In addition, the students had the opportunity to visit some of the college properties to learn how the raw material for our industries is grown and harvested.

As their semester begins, these new students will not only begin their studies at SUNY-ESF, they will also be preparing for interviews for internships. One of their first assignments is to begin to prepare a resume for this.

As we welcome the students to campus, we also congratulate those students receiving scholarships through the Syracuse Pulp and Paper Foundation, the ESF Foundation, and other funding sources. Your continued support of these organizations helps these students to be here and to become the future engineers for the industry.

New students in PBE preparing to depart on one of their tours as part of their orientation.

Congratulations Graduates

2009-05-15T06:02:00.001-07:00

Last Saturday, 7 students graduated with their B.S. degree in either Paper Engineering or Paper Science. (We expect our first graduate in the Bioprocess Engineering program next May). The graduate were:

Jeremy Bower
Tor Goettsche
Casie Goodwin
Lorie Kline
Aaron Kosinski
Michael Marchese
Christopher Wood

We wish these graduates well in starting their careers or their continuing education. Many of these graduates joined us for a breakfast reception prior to the ESF Convocation on Saturday, 9 May 2009. This was an opportunity for the family and friends of the graduates to meet the faculty and staff that the students have been interacting with over the past four years.

In addition to the conversation, a slide slow of the students in action during the senior paper machine run was shown.

Best wishes to the class of 2009!

New Dandy Roll on the #1 Papermachine

2009-04-07T07:23:00.001-07:00

The new dandy roll for the #1 Papermachine was delivered and installed today. The roll, reflecting the new logo being used at the college, will be used in the student papermachine run tomorrow in order to make the stationery paper to be used by the department and perhaps even more generally by the college.

The roll was delivered by Bob Johnston, Vice President, and Robert Van Tassel, Sales Engineer, from the Johnston Dandy Co. The local division of Johnston Dandy Company is E.F. Cook Co. We are extremely pleased with their generosity, as this is at least the second dandy roll that they have provided for us over the years.

In the papermaking process, the dandy roll is the piece of equipment used on a papermachine to impart a watermark onto the sheet. The students tomorrow will need to make adjustments to the machine in order to appropriately mark the sheet with the dandy roll.

While they were visiting, Mr. Johnston and Mr. Van Tassel took the opportunity to speak with the students on watermarking and answering their questions. The students got the opportunity to look at a number of different watermarks produced by Dandy Rolls made by Johnston Dandy Company and how to best make the dandy roll work. We are again very appreciative of the support of Johnston Dandy Company and all of our corporate, alumni, and other supporters.

Senior Paper Machine Run

2009-03-18T13:23:00.001-07:00

The senior class and graduate students are running the #1 papermachine today as part of PSE 468 and ERE 679 (Papermaking Processes). The grades of paper being made today are folder stock (like manila folders except dark blue in color with silver sparkles) and coaster paper (beermat if you are of an English persuasion).

The students have been working on this project since the beginning of the semester in January, developing the grades of paper, understanding how they are made, and performing a trial run on our #2 papermachine earlier in February. Using what they learned in the laboratory and from this machine run, they determined the furnish, acquired the chemicals from the suppliers and determined how to make these grades on our machine. Overall today they will be making over 1000 lbs of paper.

The pictures below show the students in action on the machine.

Article in The Daily Orange

2009-03-10T05:36:00.001-07:00

The following article appeared in The Daily Orange, the student newspaper covering the Syracuse University and SUNY-ESF campuses.

=======================================

ESF feeds into papermaking industry

By Bethany Bump

Tor Goettsche wanted to be a professional golfer. But he ended up making paper instead.

After speaking to a fellow high school student's father, who worked in the paper industry, he chose to study paper engineering. This was four to five months before he started freshman year.

Now, in his final year in the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry's program, his tuition has been paid for, he has held three internships, has a job lined up for after graduation, and has run the college's papermaking machine.
The semi-commercial paper mill occupies an entire floor of Walters Hall at ESF. It's the largest papermaking unit at any school in the country.

The 100- to 120-foot-long mill can make a sheet about 48 inches wide and can produce 500 pounds of paper per hour.

"Running the machines is fun and gives the opportunity for real hands-on learning," Goettsche said.

The machine is the centerpiece of ESF's paper science program, the first of its kind in the United States. Since 1920, it has led the way in papermaking, a 2,000 year-old industry. ESF was the first educational institution to have an on-campus paper plant, and the first to develop a de-inking process that enables recycling of newsprint, said Gary Scott, professor and faculty chair in the paper and bioprocess engineering program.

The department of paper and bioprocess engineering, formerly the faculty of paper science and engineering, offers three majors - paper engineering, paper science and bioprocess engineering - with 70 students divided among them. There are only 10 schools in the United States that offer paper science schooling.

"It's a relatively small program, but our graduates are in high demand," Scott said.

And with a 100 percent job-placement rate, graduates are highly coveted. Scott said this year's graduates' starting salaries will be around $68,000. Last year's graduates made $62,000 a year.

"A lot of our students eventually work their way into management," Scott said. "We have a number of our graduates from 20 years ago that are now vice presidents and presidents of companies."

After graduation, many students become paper engineers, process engineers, mill superintendents, paper mill supervisors and plant engineering team leaders.

The paper engineering program received accreditation from the Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology in 2002, Scott said.

Courses offered within the degree program include the art and early history of papermaking, wood-water relationships, papermaking processes, principles of pulping and bleaching, and papermaking wet end chemistry, among others.

Scott said that despite the variety of courses, understanding the properties of paper runs high on the program's list of priorities.
"A piece of writing paper and a facial tissue are made out of the same material, but what they're used for is completely different," Scott said. "You wouldn't want to use one in place of the other."
With two paper pilot machines on campus - a 12-inch and 48-inch - students are able to use them in their labs, usually four students to a machine, Scott said.

These students get to contribute to the way paper makes its way from tree form to newsprint or stationary.

The first step involves pulping, Scott said. Most paper is made from wood. Wood is made of fibers, or pulp, and depending on the type of tree, these fibers can be two to five millimeters long. Pulping is taking these fibers apart and flattening them into sheet form.

Pulp is then set in water with chemical additives to make it strong, Scott said. These wet paper sheets run through the paper mill.
After the pulping process, the chemical process of bleaching decreases the color of pulp so that it becomes whiter. Paper will look much like a brown paper grocery bag, Scott said. That brown is the natural color of paper, he said, because no one cares about bleaching a grocery bag. Bleaching is what it takes to make paper white, convenient for writing on.

The Syracuse Pulp and Paper Foundation offers scholarships to students enrolled in paper science and paper engineering their first semester at ESF. Scholarships in 2008 were $3,000 a semester for New York State residents and $3,750 for out-of-state residents. After the first year, scholarships are awarded on a semester grade point average basis.

Students need to complete a 12-week full-time internship in their field approved by the department between their junior and senior years, Scott said. He said quite often, it's the program's internships that lead to early job offers.

"They come into their senior year having already accepted a job offer for when they graduate one year later," he said.

Goettsche said the three internships he has held since starting the program have been vastly different. He said he's ready to enter the job market with a job lined up after he graduates.

"During these internships I was able to gain practical experience and gauge what is expected for engineers entering the industry."

blbump@syr.edu

Students Are Making Paper

2009-02-20T13:49:00.001-08:00

The students in PSE 468 / ERE 679 have begun the process of developing their four grades of paper: cover, coaster (beermat), folder stock, and stationery. It is our intention that the stationery be used by the Paper and Bioprocess Engineering Department for their letterhead. The students are at the stage of developing their grades on our #2 papermachine that makes a sheet 12 inches wide.

The pictures below show the students in action making their paper.

Dr. Gary M. Scott Named to TAPPI Board of Directors

2009-02-18T05:21:00.001-08:00

Congratulations to TAPPI’s new Board of Directors: Dr. Gary M. Scott (SUNY), Davide R. Friedman (General Mills) and
Thomas E. Rodencal (Consultant). Elected to begin their three year terms in March 2009, they will join Jeffrey J. Siegel
(Mica Corporation) and Norman F. Marsolan, who will serve two-year terms as TAPPI Chair, and TAPPI Vice Chair,
respectively.

Friedman is a 30-year veteran of the packaging industry and has served as Senior Packaging Scientist at General
Mills since 1985. Rodencal has been active in the paper industry for more than 30 years. He is a consultant based in
Duluth, Georgia and focuses on improving operations and the technical aspects of the paper industry. Scott has worked in
the paper industry for more than 25 years and is currently professor and chair of the Department of Paper and Bioprocess
Engineering at the State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry.

Siegel, Marsolan, Scott, Friedman and Rodencal will join the following Board of Directors members who will
continue to serve on the TAPPI Board: Carlos A. Aguiar (Aracruz Cellulose SA), Thomas J. Garland (PaperWorks Industries
Inc.), Larry N. Montague (TAPPI), Dr. Vince F. Newberry, Nicki S. Slusser (International Paper), Jukka Tiitinen (Metso Paper
USA Inc.), and Mark Watkins (MeadWestvaco).

Former TAPPI Chair, Willis J. Potts, Jr., served as chairman of the 2009 Nominating Committee. Other committee
members included Kathleen M. Bennett (Kathleen M. Bennett Consulting LLC), Richard J. Croker (Georgia-Pacific
Corporation), Dr. Harry T. Cullinan (Auburn University), Mike Haas, Charles E. Hodges (Port Townsend Paper), Jonathan C.
Kerr (Andritz Inc.), Sally Love (Paragon Worldwide), Larry N. Montague (TAPPI), and non-voting member Jeffrey J. Siegel
(Mica Corporation).

In March 2009, the following TAPPI Board of Directors members will complete their terms: Mark R. McCollister,
(Paperchine Inc.), Dr. J. Philip E. Jones (IMERYS), Norman F. Marsolan, and John R. Martin (Packaging Corp. of America).

More information is available on TAPPI’s website at www.tappi.org

TAPPI is the leading association for the worldwide pulp, paper, packaging, and converting industries and copublisher
of Paper360°. Through information exchange, trusted content, and networking opportunities, TAPPI helps members
elevate their performance by providing solutions that lead to better, faster, and more cost-effective ways of doing business.
Visit www.tappi.org.

Contact: Mary Beth Cornell, TAPPI Business Development Director, 1-770-209-7290 or email mcornell@tappi.org

Press release courtesy of TAPPI.

Albany International and Kadant Johnson

2009-02-13T11:27:00.001-08:00

The students in the senior papermaking course are well on their way to creating and producing their four grades of paper this year. The grades they will be making are Cover (blue with silver flecks), Stationery (a buff color which will be used as the department stationery), Coaster (or beermat), and Folder (in four different colors). The students' first trials on the #2 papermachine will be held next week with the first production run in early March.

As part of their learning experience, we welcomed four guests from two companies to give guest lectures to the students. John Hawes and Justin Leder from Albany International gave a seminar on wet end clothing (wires) for papermaking. Albany International is one of the leading manufacturers of machine clothing for the paper industry.

Rick Lull and Tom Sreca from Kadant Johnson (formerly Johnson Corporation) gave a two-day seminar on paper drying. Kadant Johnson manufactures rotary joints, dryer bars, and other equipment for paper drying.

We are extremely grateful for the help these and other companies provide our students as they work their way through their senior year.

Class of 2013

2009-02-06T10:34:00.001-08:00

The college and the department are currently recruiting for the Class of 2013; these will be the incoming freshman in the Fall of 2009. Applications are currently coming in, with nearly 60 applications to our programs in Paper Engineering, Bioprocess Engineering, and Paper Science. Of these applications, 35 have been accepted with the remaining still pending a decision from the college.

The prospective entering class is again quite strong; the average high school average of the accepted students so far is 92.8 and the average SAT score (math+verbal) is 1243. This compares favorably to last years class that had a high school average of 90.0 and SAT of 1160. The average SAT score of college-bound students that took the SAT in 2007 was 1017 (www.collegeboard.com). We continue to recruit strong students that are ready for college.

There are a number of events coming up if you are interested in learning more about our programs and about SUNY-ESF. The details of these can be found at the ESF website at http://www.esf.edu/admissions/freshman/visit.htm . Upcoming information sessions will be held on 20 February, 27 Feburary, 2 March, 23 March, and 3 April. The college open house is on 18 April 2009. Please see the website above for more informatio.

Research Position in the Department

2009-02-04T05:16:00.001-08:00

Our research program in the department continues to grow and with it we need to bring on more help with the research. Please see below an announcement for a position in our department. If you know of anyone interested, please urge them to apply.

ANNOUNCEMENT OF PROFESSIONAL VACANCY

The Research Foundation of the State University of New York

At the College of Environmental Science and Forestry

1 Forestry Drive, Syracuse, New York 13210-2778
February 3, 2009

Title: Senior Research Support Specialist

Department: Paper and Bioprocess Engineering

Salary Range: Mid 30’s

Duration: 6 months with probable extension

Brief Description of Duties: Perform laboratory scale procedures including pulping and water extraction of wood chips and bleaching of pulp. Assist in the Pilot Plant with equipment operation and maintenance and sample testing. Moderate to heavy lifting required.

Minimum Qualifications: Baccalaureate degree in science, engineering or related field required.

Preferred Qualifications: Degree in Paper Science or Paper Engineering. Experience in pulp, paper or related industry. Experience with TAPPI standards, MS Word and MS Excel.

Date to be filled: As soon as possible

Application Deadline: Although the College will accept applications until the position is filled, candidates should submit materials by February 20, 2009 to ensure optimal consideration.

Application Procedure: Employment application, cover letter, resume and the names, addresses, phone numbers and email addresses of three references, with a brief explanation of the candidate’s relationship to each reference are required to be submitted on-line at http://www.esf.edu/hr/search/.

The Research Foundation of the State University of New York is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, or sex, except where sex is a bona fide occupational qualification.

Visit SUNY-ESF at www.esf.edu

Joachim Seminar: Project Management

2009-01-15T08:18:00.001-08:00

As we begin the Spring 2009 semester, we had the pleasure of having Robert Kinstrey from Jacobs Engineering provide a short course on project management to students, faculty, and staff in the Department of Paper and Bioprocess Engineering. Mr. Kinstrey, a graduate of SUNY-ESF, is the Director of the Pulp and Paper Consultancy for Jacobs Engineering. Mr. Kinstrey is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Syracuse Pulp and Paper Foundation.

Over the two-day seminar, the students learned various aspects of project management including project planning, safety considerations, contingency planning, budgetary issues, resource allocation, plan reporting, and client-manager interactions. The students will be expected to use the information from the seminar in their upcoming class, Papermaking Processes, where they will make several thousand pounds of paper for use at the college.

This seminar was supported by the Joachim Endowment and the Syracuse Pulp and Paper Foundation.

Edward K Mullen '47 Receives Alumni of Distinction Award

2008-12-05T13:15:00.001-08:00

Edward K. Mullen '47 belongs to what Tom Brokaw termed the "Greatest Generation." He was a student at the College when World War I1 broke out. Mullen joined the Army Air Forces and served as a pilot for three years. After the war, he returned to Syracuse to finish his degree in pulp and paper. While a student, he met his future wife, Joanne, at Syracuse University.

Upon graduating, Mullen worked for the Richard Gair Company, a manufacturer of paperboard. In 1958, he joined a family-owned company, Newark Boxboard, and in 1962, co-founded a separate company, Book Covers, Inc. Along the way, he and a business partner earned 10 patents dealing with paperboard structures. By 1976, Mullen merged Box Covers, Inc., with Newark Boxboard, bought several mills from Continental Can, and then acquired Newark Boxboard from its original owners. He turned this into the Newark Group, which uses vast amounts of waste
paper to make a variety of high-quality products, and employs hundreds of workers while promoting recycling. Today, we take recycling for granted. But Mullen's the Newark Group, as long ago as 1990, was using 10 percent of all wastepaper collected in the
United States when overall, only 30 percent of waste paper was being recycled throughout the country.

Mullen used his education, business instincts and hard work to build a successful business and develop a model for what today is a green and sustainable industry. He has demonstrated that the industrial use of waste paper can transform what was once waste
into products such as concrete forms, book covers, game boards, cereal boxes and paperboard.

Mullen has been a strong supporter of ESF and the Syracuse Pulp and Paper Foundation. He supported the Jahn Laboratory campaign and is a member of the 19 1 1 Society. He is also a staunch supporter of the Syracuse Pulp and Paper Foundation
(SPPF). As a paper science graduate he has given generously to the SPPF Endowment for Management Education in Paper Science and Engineering, and also supports the J. P. Clark Golf Tournament.

In recognition of these achievements and contributions, the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry Alumni Association proudly presents Edward K.
Mullen with the Graduate of Distinction Award.

ESF Open House

2008-10-25T08:35:00.001-07:00

SUNY-ESF had its fall open house on Saturday, 25 October 2008. Two information sessions were given to students, parents, and guests about the educational programs offered in the Department of Paper and Bioprocess Engineering. These programs, all chemical engineering-based, include Paper Engineering, Paper Science, and our newest program, Bioprocess Engineering.

Paper Engineering is chemical engineering geared towards the paper and allied industries. These industries not only include paper manufacture, but industries that supply chemical to the paper industry (such as starch, dyes, etc.) and equipment and supply manufacturers. While it is often thought that the paper industry is declining due to the "paperless office" and the advent of computers, this is not true. About 25% of all paper used is personal care products (still needed) and about 50% is packaging (think eBay). While the industry is changing, it will be with us for a long time and the demand for engineers is expected to be high for at least the next 5 years.

The Paper Science program is more or less an industrial chemistry program involving the application of chemistry and some engineering to the paper industry. In addition to taking specific paper-focused courses, students are able to minor in a variety of topics such as business management, computer and information technology, biology, construction management, etc.

Our newest and fast growing program is Bioprocess Engineering, which is "chemical engineering without the petroleum." In this program, students get a broad chemical engineering-based education with a focus on biological processes and products. Examples of this technology include the creation of transportation fuels and biodegradable plastics from renewable resources such as wood or other non-fossil fuel based feedstocks. This is expected to be a fast-growing area in terms of technology and job growth.

Please see the links about to the department and the college for more information regarding these exciting educational fields and the strong job prospects in the future.

Visitors exploring the making of paper on our 12-inch paper machine.

Prospective student and her family learning about the papermaking process.

Dr. Shijie Liu explaining the process of making ethanol from woo.

Joachim Award Winner: Keith Van Scotter

2008-10-20T13:57:00.001-07:00

On Wednesday, 15 October 2008, the 2008 Joachim Award Winner, Mr. Keith van Scotter, spoke to students, faculty, and Syracuse Pulp and Paper Foundation Board of Directors members in the Varsity Room at the Carrier Dome. Mr. Van Scotter is currently the President and CEO of Lincoln Paper and Tissue, a company in Maine that he bought out of bankruptcy and returned to operation. It is currently a very successful company that provides specialized tissue and paper products world-wide.

Mr. Van Scotter presented how he and several others purchased and restarted the pulp and paper mill in Lincoln, ME after it went bankrupt and shut down. He gave a compelling case for management training and understanding more than just the technical side of the industry. Today, Lincoln paper is expanding its production capability through the addition of another paper machine.

The forum was attended by students of all grade levels from freshman (it was part of their PSE/BPE 132 course) through seniors and included graduate students. The students benefit greatly from the interactions with the industry people that attend events such as these and the annual meeting of the pulp and paper foundation.

Mr. Keith Van Scotter speaking at the Joachim Forum Dinner.

The dinner portion of the Joachim Forum.

Al Moore, Keith Van Scotter, Ellen Warner, Peter Jones, and Bob Kinstrey.

Two More Companies: Mohawk Paper and Hercules

2008-10-07T08:33:00.001-07:00

Over the past week, two more companies have been on campus to interview. The two companies represent two major facets of the industry with Mohawk Paper representing the paper producers and Hercules representing the suppliers. Both of these companies have been long term supporters of the department, and we appreciate their continued interest in our students and programs.

Nancy Blair and Bob Scammell visited ESF from Mohawk Papers. Mohawk Papers produces a wide range of premium printing and writing papers that are used by a large number of companies and organizations including the Syracuse Pulp and Paper Foundation. The company is an active member of the Foundation and provides many donations to the college, particularly the pulp needed for the senior paper machine runs.

Nancy and Bob also visited with the freshman orientation class to discuss interviewing skills, the topic of the day for this class. They both had very good advice on interviewing effectively and making the best impression possible. In the evening session, they told the students about the career possibilities with Mohawk Paper, their expectations of interns and permanent hires, and Mohawk's employment philosophy.

Nancy Blair and Bob Scammell telling students about Mohawk paper.

From Hercules, Mike Kaban visited to tell students about the opportunities available in terms of both internships and permanent positions. Hercules has a well-developed internship program that offers students opportunities to interact with students from other universities, company management, and company new hires. These opportunities involve both professional and social events during the course of the internship.

Hercules is a producer and marketer of specialty chemicals used in a number of different industries, including the paper industry.

Mike Kaban speaking with students.

Paper Airplane Fly-In

2008-09-30T12:10:00.001-07:00

The Papyrus Club (student organization at SUNY-ESF) held their first annual Paper Airplane Fly-In off the bridge at Walters Hall. Students, faculty and, staff folded, cut, taped, (and multilated) student-made paper into various forms of flying (and not) creations.

After folding, the planes were launched in two competitions: distance and accuracy. For accuracy, the objective was to hit a target on the back of the statue of Lincoln in front of Walters Hall. Additional awards were also given for the largest and smallest airplanes that flew at least 30 feet. The largest plane, while it did fly 30 ft, did not land quite so smoothly.

Airplanes of all sizes and designs were launched. The "official" record for distance is 101 ft in the over 100 sq in category and 96 ft in the under 100 sq in category.

The day's events concluded with a meeting of the Papyrus club, a discussion of upcoming club events, and a determination to build better planes for next year.

SCA Tissue

2008-09-29T06:43:00.001-07:00

The interview schedule continues this week with SCA Tissue giving an evening program on 25 September and interviewing for summer and permanent jobs on Thursday. The evening program gave students an introduction to SCA tissue, which produces various tissue products from 100% recycled material. In addition to their location in South Glens Fall, NY, they have locations in Wisconsin, Illinois, Alabama, Arizona, and worldwide including Mexico and Russia. The company headquarters is in Sweden.

Charlie Pound ('00) is the Fiber Prep Superintendent at their South Glens Falls location. In addition to telling the students about SCA, he told the students about his career and how he ended up at SCA. he also gave some very good and direct advice on interviewing skills and resume preparation. Joan Lang is a Human Resource Generalist at the same location. She discussed the history of the SCA mill in South Glens Falls and some general information about the company. She also had some very good advice about interviewing and doing a job search.

The opportunities for both summer internships and permanent positions continue to come into the SPPF office. We are anticipating a very good year for placement of students. The jobs seem to be there for those students participating in the interviewing process.

Joan Lang discussing the opportunities at SCA Tissue.

Charlie Pound ('oo) discussing his career at SCA Tissue

Albany International on Campus

2008-09-19T11:05:00.001-07:00

This week, Albany International was visiting and interviewing students on campus. Albany International makes paper machine "clothing", which includes screens ("wires") and felts used to continuously make paper and to transport it through the machine. They have locations in Homer, NY, Albany, NY, Wisconsin, Tennessee, South Carolina, and in 14 countries around the world including Hangzhou, China.

Chris Haverlock was visiting from the Menasha, WI plant, having graduated from our Paper Engineering program in May 2008. He has been on the job for only four months and is enjoying his job that includes both engineering and research. Chris originally worked for Albany International during one of his summer internships, which subsequently led to him being hired permanently after graduation. Jeffrey Eggert, also a graduate of the Paper Science and Engineering program at SUNY-ESF, is the Manufacturing Manager at the Homer plant, which makes the monofilament strands that the wires are made of.

As with last week, the students learned about the company first hand from our graduates, so that they could go into the interview process prepared. We are finding that the job market this year is very strong, both for internships and permanent positions.

Chris Haverlock describing Albany International.

Jeffrey Eggert and Chris Haverlock answering questions about both summer and permanent positions.

Company Evening Session: Procter and Gamble

2008-09-12T04:39:00.001-07:00

On Wednesday, 10 September, we kicked off our 2008-09 employment recruiting season with an evening program given by Procter and Gamble. P&G is one of the largest consumer products companies producing such well known products as Bounty, Charmin, Tide, Crest, and many others. Their manufacturing facility in Mahoopany, PA is the largest facility within P&G where they produce Bounty, Charmin, Bounty Napkins, Pampers, and Luvs. Please see their website at http://www.pg.com for more information about the company.

P&G has been recruiting at SUNY-ESF for the past four years, and are returning this year on 2 October for interviews for summer interns. Jess Herrington ('06, Paper Engineering), Nicole Garrisi ('07, Paper Engineering), John Ford ('08, Paper Engineering), Phani Mogalapu, and John Spencer introduced our students to the company over a dinner of Dinosaur B-B-Q. In their presentation, they provided information about the company's philosophy of hiring from within, using summer internships as extended interviews for permanent job offers, and the variety of opportunities within the company. Casie Goodwin ('09, Paper Engineering), currently a senior our department, spoke about her summer internship at P&G. The evening also included a P&G trivia game that included valuable P&G products as prizes.

P&G represents the first of many companies that will be coming to campus throughout the academic year to hire students for both internships and permanent positions.

John Ford, Nicole Garrisi, and Phani Mogalapu speaking to students.

John Spencer explaining the application and interview process.

Casie Goodwin (middle) describing her summer internship experience. With her are Nicole Garrisi and Jess Herrington.

John Ford passing out prize to a student for correctly answering a question.

PBE at the New York State Fair

2008-09-09T04:38:00.001-07:00

On 29 August 2008, the faculty, staff, and students of the PBE department set up at the SUNY-ESF tent to make hand-made paper. While the day started out rainy, it stopped just before the tent opened at 10am and a steady business of customers came through to make and decorate a sheet of paper.

Dr. Klaus Doelle helping his son make a sheet of paper. Dr. Biljana Bujanovic helping some young papermakers. Pressing the sheet of paper to remove the water. Ellen Warner, a SPPF Board of Directors member, and Samantha Appleby helping two girls decorate their sheet of paper. Dr. Shijie Liu and his family helping a girl make a sheet of paper. Holding up the finished product.

Please come and visit us next year at the fair to see how paper is made.

2008 Joachim Award Winner

2008-09-02T06:36:00.001-07:00

Keith Van Scotter is the 15th recipient of the prestigious Herman Lewis Joachim Award for Excellence in Management, which will be presented to him on October 16, 2008 at the Syracuse Pulp and Paper Foundation’s Director’s dinner. The Joachim award is given annually to an executive whose career and achievements have been outstanding in the pulp, paper and allied industries. It is given both as a tribute to Dr. Joachim and a means of providing significant role models to young people entering the paper industry.

Mr. Van Scotter is the President and CEO of Lincoln Paper, a single mill operation that is the leading manufacturer of specialty napkin parent rolls and uncoated free-sheet printing papers. The company was formed out of bankruptcy in 2004 and with Mr. Van Scotter’s guidance has performed as an industry leader.

Mr. Van Scotter also plans to speak with the Paper and Bioprocess Engineering Students at the Student Forum at the Syracuse University Pack Room at 5 pm on October 15. Dinner will be served and all are welcome. Call Linda Fagan at 315-470-6592 for details.

New Students Have Arrived

2008-08-21T04:50:00.001-07:00

Over the past two days, we have welcomed over 30 new students to the Paper Engineering and Bioprocess Engineering programs at SUNY-ESF. Over the course of our department-specific orientation that started Monday, we have had the opportunity to meet the new students and their parents Monday evening over a dinner of Dinosaur B-B-Q and pictures from our recent trip to China. After dinner, the parents left and the students began their introduction to the industry and the educational programs, as well as the information for the tours the next day.

Dinosaur B-B-Q in the Moon Library Conference Room.

Over the next two days, we visited three industrial sites and a forest harvesting operation. Our first stop was the Procter and Gamble mill in Mahoopany, PA, where we were hosted by Nicole Garrisi, a graduate of the paper engineering program at ESF. At this site, we saw their water handling and papermaking operations. The students were quite impressed with the large one-ton roll of bathroom tissue. Due to security, pictures were not allowed in many of the facilities.

Incoming class in front of the P&G mill.

On Tuesday, we visited the Rock-Tenn Solvay paper mill (formerly known as Solvaypaperboard). This mill is only three miles from campus, and is involved in our senior design class. Peter Tantalo, Director of Human Resources, was our host. At Solvay, we learned about recycling, making linerboard and corrugating medium, water use at the mill, and the wastewater treatment at the mill.

Dr. Jose Iribarne (a graduate of our department) discussing environmental issues with the new students.

The incoming class in front of Rock-Tenn in Solvay.

The final stop on our industrial tour was the Anheuser-Busch brewery in Baldwinsville, NY, where our host was Adon Allen, Jr. Here, the students learned about fermentation processes, the same processes that are used to convert wood (and corn) into fuel ethanol. The processes have been using essentially the same yeast strain for the past 75 years to produce Budweiser and other products. DNA analysis is often used to confirm that mutations have not occurred by comparing the yeast to bottles of beer that have been stored for 75 years.

Mr. Adon Allen describing the biological and industrial processes used to produce Budweiser and other products at the Baldwinsville plant.

The students (and the faculty and staff) are excited about starting another academic year at SUNY-ESF.

Recruiting in the Adirondacks

2008-07-18T10:24:00.001-07:00

Mr. Ray Appleby (Manager, Pilot Operations) and myself made the trip to Warrensburg for the fourth year in a row to recruit at the DEC camps that are held there each summer. The camps consist of high school students aged 15-17 from all around New York State. A total of eight weeks of camps are held with each group of 50 students at camp for a week. We will be presenting at two camps this year.

The camps are held at the Pack Demonstration Forest, one of the properties owned by SUNY-ESF. The college leases the camp facilities to the DEC for the summer in order to hold the camps.

We gave a presentation called "Engineering, Physics, and Chemistry: The Secrets of Money," which discusses the various techniques of papermaking, chemistry, and printing used in producing our currency to prevent counterfeiting. The presentation also provides information about the college and particularly the programs in Paper and Bioprocess Engineering while entertaining the students with a variety of demonstrations of chemistry, engineering, and physics (Yes, we do set off a small explosion). We leave the students with material about our programs and college.

We are feel this to be an effective recruiting tool as we are able to reach high school students all over the state at one time and have had students visit ESF as a result of this presentation.

New Students for Fall

2008-07-01T07:19:00.001-07:00

This fall, we will be welcoming 33 new undergraduate students (as of today) to the Department of Paper and Bioprocess Engineering at SUNY-ESF. This represents the largest incoming class of new students over the past ten years.

Eleven of the new students are enrolled in the Paper Engineering program, which is accredited by Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET. This program prepares students with a chemical engineering curriculum that is focused primarily on the paper and allied industries. However, previous graduates of the program have also gone on to work in other industries. Of the eleven students entering, nine are freshman and two are transfer students, with all of them coming from New York State.

Twenty-two students are enrolled in the Bioprocess Engineering program, which is our new program that started in 2006. This program, which can be described as "chemical engineering without the petroleum," is focused on process and product engineering from sustainable resources and using ecologically-sound technology. Nineteen freshman and three transfer students will be entering the program, with two of them coming from outside of New York State.

The entering freshman come highly qualified, with an average SAT score (verbal + math) of 1160 and a high school average of 90.0. These scores mirror almost exactly the entire freshman class at SUNY-ESF. The average SAT score of college-bound students that took the SAT in 2007 was 1017 (www.collegeboard.com) indicating that the students entering our programs (and ESF) are ready for college. The five transfer students entering the programs had an average GPA of 3.44 at their previous institution.

We are looking forwarding to welcoming these new students in the fall.

Class of 1958

2008-06-18T08:57:00.001-07:00

Our program in paper engineering has been in existence since 1920, making it the longest-running paper engineering program in the United States. It was our recent pleasure to welcome back the Paper Science and Engineering Class of 1958 as they returned to SUNY ESF to celebrate their 50th Reunion. Many activities were available for their participation and we are grateful they were able to tour Walter’s Hall with many sharing their remembrances of their student days. Mr. George Treier mentioned recalling when his company (Xerox) donated the small paper machine. Thank you to Xerox for their gift to Walter’s Hall and to the students who have benefit ed from their generosity.

R to L: G. Hunt, C. Hunt, R. Dykes, G. Treier, H. Parker, H. Gore

Returned to Syracuse

2008-06-06T12:06:00.001-07:00

After 24 hours of traveling and three plane flights, we have returned to Syracuse and home. Timothy is staying a bit longer to visit Hong Kong and Alan flew directly home to Boston. The only remaining task is to readjust for the time difference, since China is exactly 12 hours ahead of the Eastern United States. As I am typing this on Friday morning, my body is telling me that it is late evening and time for bed.

With our return, the story of our international experience to China for the Department of Paper and Bioprocess Engineering comes to a close. However, the blog will continue with other news and events in the department. Please stop by occasionally to see what is happening in the department.

Our Final Day in Beijing (and China)

2008-06-04T05:29:00.001-07:00

Our trip is nearly coming to an end; early tomorrow morning we head to the Beijing Airport for our flights back to the United States (except for Timothy, who is going on to Hong Kong for a few days). While Dr. Liu and I visited the Beijing University of Forestry, the students had a free day which they spent exploring on their own and doing some last minute shopping.

The final challenge of the trip will be to repack the bags with all the souvenirs and gifts that have been purchased. It has been an incredible trip for the students and the faculty advisors alike. We wish to thank all the people that helped us along the way to make this trip possible and unforgettable.

This final set of pictures are from the streets of Beijing. It is quite amazing what can be transported on a bicycle other than just people (and sometimes it is just people).

(A cartload of stuff)

(A baby on the back)

(A boy in a car seat)

(A large sign???)

(A girlfriend and shopping bags)

The parks are often gathering places for the young and the old alike. This gentleman is flying a kite on a 50 ft wide boulevard between two busy streets.

Chinese chess is another popular game in the parks along with simply going for a walk.

For our final dinner, we gathered at a restaurant for a dinner of Beijing Duck, and of course several other dishes. Here we are for our final China picture in front of the restaurant.

Most of us will be arriving in Syracuse on Thursday evening at 8:23 pm, flying our of Beijing and through Tokyo and Detroit. Alan is flying directly to Boston while Timothy is going to Hong Kong for a few days before returning to the United States. While we enjoyed our time in China, many of us are looking forward to our return.

The Great Wall

2008-06-03T06:27:00.001-07:00

The second destination today was the Great Wall of China. At one time, the Great Wall stretch for over 10,000 km and was built to prevent invasion from the north by the Mongols. Although it was a rainly and foggy morning, we braved the wall to make our ascent to the highest watch tower.

This portion of the wall is called the Juyongguan Pass and is near Badaling, the most popular destination for visitors to the great wall. The wall climbs over a 1100 feet in elevation at this point in just over one-half mile. This represents an average grade of over 40%. The ascent consisted of steps, inclines and periodic watch towers.

Looking back from the second watch tower, you can get an idea of just how steeping the wall rises at this point from the river valley below.

The highest watch tower on this point on the wall is being defending by Dennis, Steven, and Timothy.

The views from the top were simply incredible; we could only wish that the weather had been a bit clearer.

Two hours was not enough time to explore a great deal of the wall. If you come, you should plan on spending at least a day here exploring different aspects of the wall.

Ming Tombs

2008-06-03T06:22:00.001-07:00

The third and final day of our excursions in Beijing took us to the Ming Tombs and the Great Wall of China. The tombs are a large complex of many tombs in one area. The main tomb is Emperor Yongle's Tomb located centrally in the complex. He was the third emperor of the Ming Dynasty in the early 1400's.

Inside the main structure was a museum that contained replicas of many of the items found in the tomb. The centerpiece of the museum was a large statue of the emperor sitting on his throne.

The back of the statue had the dragon, which represents the emperor.

On the centerline from the gate to the tombs and mausoleum is the Gate on the Threshold of Stars. Only the emperor could pass through this gate towards the mausoleum, and then only after he has died. It is considered the threshold from one realm (the world) to another (heaven). However, passing through it on the way back (by the living) is considered to bring good luck.

Many of the trees at the tombs are over 300 years old. This tree is the oldest tree on the site, and now needs to be supported to keep it up.

Beijing Chaonyang Theater

2008-06-02T07:32:00.001-07:00

By Jill Reinhard

On Monday night, we went to the Beijing Chaonyang Theater to watch the Flying Acrobatics Show. The feats perfomed were amazing! I've never seen anything like that in my life. The colors, the costumes, the laser, the live birds took the p erformance to a new unexpected level. I loved the show so much, I bought a DVD. If you haven't already seen a spectacle like this, it's a must see act at least once once in a lifetime.

Hutong Tour

2008-06-02T07:22:00.001-07:00

The final stop on today's adventure was a tour of a Hutong. The word Hutong comes from Mongolian which means "well" for water. Now, the word is used to identify the traditional neighborhoods of the Chinese cities.

In Beijing, many of these neighborhoods have been replaced by modern high-rise buildings. However, the Chinese government is now making an effort to preserve a number of these neighborhoods. Today we got to tour the one that surrounds the Beijing Bell Tower. This is a high desirable neighbors due to its location near this tower.

Our tour started with a lunch in a typical Hutong home. Our host, Mrs. Chen, made a wonderful meal that included dumplings, rice, garlic stalks with egg, chicken wings, fried noodles, pork, and a number of other dishes. The other two men were our guides for this trip, Robin and Andy.

After lunch, we toured the Hutong by pedal rickshaw.

At one point in the trip, I switched places with the driver and had my turn at pedaling the rickshaw.

Halfway through the trip we stopped to visit a factory that made fine porcelain and pottery. This is the master potter creating a vase.

Everyone had a very enjoyable time visiting the Hutong.

Panda Bears at the Beijing Zoo

2008-06-02T07:04:00.001-07:00

Our second stop for the day was the Beijing Zoo to see the Panda Bears. Panda bears are primarily from the Sichuan province where the earthquake occurred three weeks ago. While the panda bears at the breeding center near the epicenter all survived the quake, their habitat and house suffered some damage. A few of the pandas were transferred to the Beijing Zoo to join those pandas that were already here.

Of course, any zoo would not be complete without the safety and warning signs. Here are the ones that were posted around the panda bears.

Yonghe Lama Temple

2008-06-02T06:34:00.001-07:00

Monday brought us our second day of sightseeing in Beijing. We are getting the whirlwind tour of many places in Beijing; many of these places could be a whole day in themselves to explore. What this will let us know is what to spend more time on during the next trip to China.

Our first stop this morning was the Yonghe Lama Temple. This is the largest temple in Beijing and was built in 1694. The temple is noted for being the residence of Yongzheng, who was the third emperor of the Qing Dynasty. It also contains the largest wooden Buddha in the world that is carved our of a single piece of wood. The sandlewood Buddha is over 16m tall and is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records. As photographs could not be taken inside the buildings, I cannot show you a picture of the Buddha.

This fountain represents the seven levels of hell on the bottom just above the water. Above that is the earth, the constellations, and on the top the house of heaven.

The temple is currently under renovation, as the rest of China also seems to be.

Tiannamen Square

2008-06-01T14:57:00.001-07:00

After getting back to the hotel, we decided to take a walk over to Tiannamen Square, which is located by the front gate to the Forbidden City. About a 20 minute walk through some streets in China brought us to the square along with a large number of other people. It was a very popular day throughout all the places that we visited: Nice weather on a Sunday seems to bring the people out.

Summer Palace

2008-06-01T14:56:00.001-07:00

The third and final stop on our organized tour today was the Summer Palace. The Summer Palace was built by the Empress Dowager, the only female ruler in China Dynasty history. Again, the dragon and phoenix motif was used throughout the grounds, which included a man-made lake, a man-make mountain, and a long covered pavilion around part of the lake so that the empress could walk along the lake without having to worry about the rain.

She also wanted a boat that could not be tipped over by the waves (the boat was thought to represent the kingdom), so she had one built on her lake our of marble.

The building on the edge of the lake rising up the hill was the temple where only she could worship. It is amazing the amount of work and resources had to go into the building of this and the other buildings that we saw today.

Temple of Heaven

2008-06-01T14:54:00.001-07:00

The second stop on our itinerary today was the Temple of Heaven. This was where the emperor went to worship to heaven three times a year. The first time was in the spring to pray for rain. The second was in the fall to pray for a good harvest. The last time was on the winter solstice to pray for the end of winter.

It is again a very impressive and beautiful building surrounded by a large garden. Many people come to socialize, play, and just admire the beauty. While walking in the gardens, we saw people doing Taiji, ballroom dancing, and kite flying. There was even a group of retired people that frequently meet to sing. The picture below shows a man playing a traditional Chinese musical instrument, the Erhu.

Forbidden City

2008-06-01T14:51:00.001-07:00

Today was our first day of sightseeing in Beijing. We were met by our tour guide, Lilly, in the morning and she took us to the sights for today. Our first stop was the Forbidden City, which is only about two blocks from our hotel. It is called the Forbidden City because the emperor's family (especially his wives and concubines) were not allowed to leave the walled city. Likewise, people on the insides were not allowed to enter. We entered through the back gate of the Forbidden City, which is over a mile long.

The first part of the City (starting from the back gate) was the gardens. These were built for the royal family to have a place to enjoy while on the grounds. The trees in this photo represent the joining of a man and women in marriage; it is a very popular site for wedding photos.

The emperor held court in one of the office buildings on the grounds. Those of a high enough rank were able to enter the building to speak with the emperor; lower ranked officials had to remain outside. This picture shows the throne on which the emperor sat to hold court.

The architecture around the grounds is simply amazing. Much of the buildings and walkways are decorated with the dragon (the symbol of the emperor) and the phoenix (the symbol of his wife), with the dragon always being in the most prominent position. Running down the center walkway of the Forbidden City is the emperors path on which only he could walk. Everyone else had to walk to side. The empress, on her wedding day, could also walk on this path, but only that once. The grounds are also paved with 18 layers of bricks to prevent anyone from tunneling under the grounds to gain entry.

The China Experience

2008-06-01T06:02:00.001-07:00

By Alan Tam

China has been such an amazing experience. Personally, my favorite part of the trip has been making friends, both my fellow classmates and the friends I have made in China. The most fun part of the trip are the conversations and the bonds I have made through experiencing China with my new friends. This is an adventure that I will never forget.

First Dinner in Beijing

2008-06-01T05:48:00.001-07:00

By Timothy Hull

Our first night in Beijing began not with a bang but rather with a burp-as we tried to consume 10 kg of food between the seven of us. The food ranged from rice to noodles to an assortment of vegetables. Even though we were unable to consume the entire 10 kg, we did manage to eat 2 kg of dumplings, which was an accomplishment in itself.

Arrival in Beijing

2008-05-31T07:01:00.001-07:00

We are now entering the last phase of our trip: Sightseeing in Beijing. After saying our goodbyes to friends in Xiamen, we went to the airport for an afternoon flight to Beijing. During the flight, everyone on the airplane was given a scratch off ticket, much like a lottery ticket. The top prize was Y200000 with several other smaller prizes. While none of us won, judging from the cheering from the back of the plane, there was a winner there.

We are staying at the RedWall Hotel, which is very near to Tiannamen Square. We begin our three days of touring tomorrow morning at 8:15 and will of course be posting pictures.

I wish to take this opportunity to thank everyone that made our trip to Xiamen so special and the work they did on such short notice to accommodate us: Professor Chen in the Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering and Lisa in the Foreign Relations office. Of course, my friends, Ann, Michael, and their children, Thomas, Helen, and Sophia, were wonderful guides for our travels. I only wish I could have stayed a few minutes longer today to have one of the chocolate chip cookies that they were baking.

The Last Day of Class

2008-05-30T18:37:00.001-07:00

Water Fountain Xiamen University Campus

Lake and reflecting bridge at Xiamen University

The lecture hall and last day of class.

Hosts and Class in front of the Chemical Engineering Building Xiamen University

Xiamen University Expansion

Helen and Sophia with Children's Day Gifts

Friends living in Xiamen
Chinese Student using a Diabolo's (Lg. Chinese Yo-Yo)

Fun Gifts for Children's Day in China!

All five of the students made it to the last day of class. The final exam was taken this afternoon and all that remains is the project that is due a couple of weeks after we get back. In class, we were joined by a number of graduate students from Africa studying for their Masters degree in chemical engineering. At least two of the students have expressed interest in further graduate school at SUNY-ESF and we may be seeing some applications from them. The students seem quite happy that class is done and are looking forward to our sightseeing trip in Beijing. In the picture, we are standing in front of the Chemical Engineering Building with our hosts.

We leave for Beijing tomorrow afternoon and will have three days of guided tours starting Sunday with visits to the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, and the Summer Palace. On Monday, we will visit the Beijing Panda House, a Hutong tour (old Beijing streets by rickshaw), and the Yonghe Lama Temple. Finally, on Tuesday, we will travel to the Great Wall at Badaling and the Ming tombs. It looks to be a busy three days of sightseeing in Beijing.

Today was Children’s Day in China. Every student got a special present from their teacher in honor of the day. Walking around campus in the afternoon, I saw a number of students with Diabolos, or Chinese Yo-Yo’s. The older children got these, while the younger children (like Helen and Sophia, my friends’ daughters) got monkey nerf paddles.

The other pictures are some more sights around the campus including the lake in the middle of the campus and the water fountain that is shaped like a stack of books. The university is also under construction like the rest of China. Two weeks ago, this road was lined with shops that were open and thriving. When we arrived, most of them were shuttered and closed. As we leave, the building is down to the ground to make way for an expansion of the university. The city has built a new “mall” nearby that will contain many of the shops, but it isn’t ready for occupancy yet. It seems that China is constantly changing and everywhere you look, there is building going on.

The next post will come from Beijing. Please be patient as it is sometimes an effort to reconnect to the Internet after moving to a new city.

Earthquake Update

2008-05-30T05:23:00.001-07:00

Today was a day back to class for the students: It is hard to believe that they will be taking their final exam tomorrow and the lectures will be over. The time in China has been going very quickly. As part of the class, they will still need to do a project that they will hand in by the end of June.

Since there is not much to say about what we’ve been doing, I thought I would comment on the news reports regarding the earthquake and the recovery efforts. The area is still experiencing aftershocks, with a 6.4 magnitude aftershock on Sunday and a couple of smaller aftershocks later in the week.

The big concerns being reported on the news are the “quake lakes” and the threat of disease. The landslides triggered by the earthquake have blocked rivers and now have lakes behind them. They are dealing with over 30 such lakes throughout Sichuan Province. The fear is that the landslide barriers will fail and cause massive flooding downriver. The army has mobilized using very large helicopters to move in earth moving equipment to create channels for a controlled release of the water. However, bad weather has been preventing fuel deliveries to the location and they have army soldiers standing by in order to deliver fuel to the work areas by foot. Evacuation plans have been made for the affected areas and drills have been held. Some of the lakes are raising at a rate of 2 to 4 meters per day and will overtop the barriers within about 1 week. These landslides have also changed the landscape of the region significantly. Mountains that used to be tree-covered, are now slopes of dirt.

Disease prevention is also a major focus of the effort. Epidemic prevention is on the minds of all the government leaders. They are disinfecting many of the destroyed building using hand sprayers.

Housing problems including both temporary and permanent are also being considered. Tent production has been stepped up in order to provide the needed tents and other temporary housing is being built. The army has over 100,000 in the area to help with the housing issues.

The statistics regarding the devastation are simply beyond comprehension. As of today, there have been 68516 fatalities and 365399 people injured; 19305 are still missing. 15 million people have been evacuated and it is estimated that over 45 million people have been affected. Since 12 May there have been 219 tremors less than 3.9 magnitude.

Help has been pouring in from all over the world. So far over 37.3 billion yuan has been pledged (over US$5 billion). The news cast just reported that even the monks at a Buddhist temple in Chengdu have donated money in addition to praying for the victims. I am sure that we are all thinking of the many people in the Sichuan Province that are affected. While not of the best quality, I include pictures taken off the reports on the TV news including one of the quake lakes, the army building houses, and the monks praying for the victims.

Visiting a Haka House

2008-05-28T08:12:00.000-07:00

In the afternoon, we visited a type of house found in the Fujian province. These are large, multifamily dwellings originally built for protection from raiders. Some of the houses that we saw date from the 18th century. They are built around a central courtyard, and are often 3 or 4 stories high. The walls are made of compacted soil reinforced with bamboo and perhaps rice. With over 10,000 of these houses still in existence in the Fujian province, they are still the home to many people in the area. We probably saw over 50 on our drive through the countryside. Two of the ones that we visited have rooms for rent, so you can, if interested, stay in one of these houses for the night.

Visiting a Biodiesel Plant

2008-05-28T08:09:00.000-07:00

Wednesday was another of our excursion days. On today’s agenda was first a visit to a biodiesel plant. This plant, located in Longyan, brings in waste cooking oil from restaurants, and converts it into biodiesel. The plant converts approximately 70,000 tons per of waste oil into biodiesel. We were shown around by Mr. Huodong Ye, the chairman of the company. We had to travel about 2-1/2 hours to get to the plant, which was located in the hills on the mainland.

To the Beach

2008-05-28T08:06:00.000-07:00

Tuesday was another nice and sunny day and in the afternoon after class, the students decided to check out the beach. Xiamen University is right on the coast, and the ocean is a 10 minute walk from the Guest House where we are staying. There was a small number of people actually in the water and some of the students also braved the waves and water. It seemed that most of the people were at the beach simply to sit and watch the water.

Back to Classes

2008-05-27T06:35:00.000-07:00

While Monday was a holiday in the United States, it was classes and business as usual in China. We were back in class on Monday, continuing where we left off in Guangzhou. Today was also the students’ midterm exam. I am happy to report that everyone did fairly well on the exam, even with all the distractions of being in China.

As we have not had much time to travel or see various sights since our trip to Gulangyu on Sunday, I leave you with some photos from the roof of the guest house where we are staying (including a picture of my laundry in the “dryer”). I hope that everyone is having a wonderful Memorial Day.

Playgrounds in China

2008-05-25T08:04:00.000-07:00

All children love to play; that is true all around the world. China has its share of playgrounds which sometimes cannot be resisted by college students also (Well, and faculty too). The safety standards are certainly different, however, with several of the playgrounds being built over concrete. The pictures show different playgrounds on Xiamen (in the Botanical Gardens) and on Gulangyu.

Church in China

2008-05-25T07:55:00.000-07:00

The students had the option of attending church this morning with my friends Ann and Michael and their children. The services are in English and the priest is a former teacher that taught himself English. The service also had a choir with guitar and flute. They have been only holding services at the church since about 1994 but the building has been there (as a church) for much longer. Much of the architecture on the island is quite western since the island was originally the western trade concession and originally (before 1949) inhabited by the various western people that traded with China. Some of the buildings are old consulates that used to exist and the church itself probably dates from early in the 20th century. The pictures show the exterior and the interior of the church. The fourth picture is my friends’ three children: Thomas, 12 years old, is the oldest; Helen (Huan Huan) is 6 years old and was adopted from the same province (and at the same time) as my daughter Megan; and Sophia is their youngest at 2 years old. As mentioned before, they have been living in Xiamen since last August and will be returning to the United States in July.

Warning Signs in Haoyue Garden

2008-05-25T07:40:00.000-07:00

As I climbed to the statue of Zheng, I couldn’t help but notice the large number of warning signs that were posted. As with many signs, they are usually quite clear about what they are warning about by the picture, but the English warning may not be quite so clear. Here are the six signs that were all posted on the walkway to see the statue

Trip to Gulangyu Island

2008-05-25T06:35:00.000-07:00

Ferry heading back to Xiamen.

Statue of Zheng in the distance.

Stairs to get to statue.

Statue of Zheng from rock outcropping.

Walkway around the base of the Zheng Statue.

Statue of 5 children in the park

Narrow street on the island.

Bonsai like tree at the harbor.

Cargo boat on the wharf being loaded.

On Sunday we made an excursion to Gulangyu Island, which is a smaller island off of Xiamen Island accessible only by ferry. My friend, Ann, Michael, and their children escorted us there as that is the location of the Catholic Church in Xiamen. (More on the church later).

Leaving the university, it took a bus ride (2 RMB cost since the air-conditioning was on) and about a five minute ferry ride (free to get to the island, but 8 RMB on the way back). The weather was again hot and humid, but was not too bad if you could stand in the breeze. Our plan was to go to church on the island and then the students would be free to explore the island and make their way back to the university. After church, the students went off on their own and I had lunch with my friends on the island. After lunch, they needed to get back to the university, so I explored a bit of the island, did some shopping, and returned just before the thunderstorms hit.

One focal point of the island is Haoyue Garden which also contains a large statue of off Zheng Chenggong. It is 16 meters high and carved out of 625 pieces of white granite; it is the largest stone carved figure in China. It is quite an impressive sight from the mainland and even more impressive up close.

More Photos from Saturday, South Putao Temple and Botanical Gardens

2008-05-24T18:33:00.000-07:00

South Putao Temple and Botanical Gardens

2008-05-24T18:28:00.000-07:00

Today my friend, Dr. Michael Forest, who has been living in China for almost a year on a Fullbright Scholarship, took us on a tour of the South Putao Temple, which is just outside of the university gate. The temple is actually a series of many temples climbing up the side of Taiping Hill which reaches a height of over 500 ft (starting from essentially sea level) over a straight line distance of about 1/3 mile. The temple is also the home to a large number of Buddhist monks that are often seen in the town also. Being that it was quite a hot day, it was a welcome relief to find the ship selling water, soda, and snacks at the top of the hill. All along the way up the steps that had been constructed, there were various places to worship, meditate, or simply contemplate life. In one place, there were probably 1000’s of Buddha statues lined up, with no two being the same.

Once we reached the top of the mountain, we went down the other side of the mountain and visited the Wanshi Botanical Gardens. This was a large garden, and like botanical gardens in the US, has areas dedicated to various types of plants: Rain forest, cactus, rose garden, bamboo, etc. There was even an area dedicated to medicinal plants. Also like many gardens in the US, there were also a number of playgrounds for kids.

After the garden, and being on the opposite side of the mountain from the university, we took a public bus back to the university. Actually, the bus system on Xiamen is very convenient for getting back to the university, as many of the bus lines end at the university gate.

The weather in Xiamen, like in Guangzhou has been hot and a little less humid. However, unlike Guangzhou, the sun has been breaking through the overcast and making it quite hot but fairly comfortable in the shade. The students were relieved to find that the building we were staying in had air conditioning.

Arriving in Xiamen

2008-05-23T17:45:00.000-07:00

Friday was a travel day for us as we said our goodbyes to our friends in Guangzhou and made our way to the airport. The flight to Xiamen was thankfully short (less than one hour) and uneventful. However, unlike US carriers, they managed a full meal service within that time.

Xiamen is on an island in the Fujian province, which is one coast of China across from Taiwan.While the weather here is still quite warm, it is a little less humid and the sun was shining, something that we did not get much of during our stay in Guangzhou. Xiamen University is located on the seacoast and at the base of a fairly steeply rising mountain. Also next to the university is one of the 5 most important Buddhist temples in China, the South Putao temple. We will be visiting the temple tomorrow and climbing the mountain behind it. On the other side of the mountain is a large botanical gardens. On Sunday, we plan on making our way to a smaller island called Gulangyu.

We were welcomed to Xiamen University by Professor Chen of the Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Department. I gave a seminar in the afternoon to some of their graduate students, some of which were from Africa. Professor Chen and his department have graciously made arrangements for a classroom and took Dr. Liu and I out to dinner on the day of our arrival.We were also welcomed by Ann and Michael Forest, friends of mine from Buffalo. Michael is a Professor of Philosophy at Canesius College in Buffalo on a one-year Fullbright Fellowship with Xiamen University. It turns out that we are staying in the same building that they have been living in for almost the past year. They are here with their three children ages 12, 6, and 3: Their six-year-old daughter was adopted from China from the same city as my oldest daughter. In fact, we traveled together for the adoption process in 2002. They have been very helpful and willing to serve as tour guides during our stay in Xiamen.

Taking the Class

2008-05-21T22:47:00.001-07:00

Lest we forget, the students are over here to also take a required class in their programs at SUNY-ESF. Dr. Scott is teaching PSE 370, Principles of Mass and Energy Balances to the five students. We typically meet in the morning for lecture and discussion, take a break, and then meet for an afternoon session for questions and answers. With the conclusion of this week, the class is now about half over: The students have been given their first exam (a takehome exam for over the weekend) and will have an inclass exam on Monday.

On several of the days, the class was joined by Chinese students from the South China University of Technology. The Chinese students had various motives for sitting in on the class: Some wanted to practice their English, some wanted to see how a US class was conducted, and one student was having his exam in the same subject in two weeks. I suspect that some felt obligated to attend because they were asked to by their professors. It was interesting to see the interaction between the students and there were comments that they had a common language in mathematics and, of all things, calculus.

We also had a short discussion on the differences between classes in the US in China. In China, it is very common that the professor lectures for the semester and the entire grade for the class is determined by a single exam at the end of the semester. I did ask our students if we should adopt this method, but they seemed to want multiple opportunities to factor into their grade.

The class is going well and we will be moving it Xiamen for next week. After a morning flight on Friday, we will enjoy the Xiamen area for the weekend (of course, the students will also be working on their exam).

Pearl River Night Cruise

2008-05-21T22:35:00.001-07:00

After the visit to the Guangzhou Paper Mill, our guides Cindy and Zeng took us to Beijing Road, a very popular shopping area where we also had dinner. The highlight of the night was the cruise on the Pearl River. The waterfront of the Pearl River is quite developed (and in some cases overdeveloped). But the river is now the home of a miles-long light show where the various buildings along the way are trying to outdo each other. Two graduate students from SCUT were our guides for the day and did an excellent job of keeping us together and on time.

After being served tea inside, we all went out to the railing to watch the various lights on the buildings.

The White Swan Hotel on Shamian Island is famous for being the "headquarters" for American adoptions in China. All adoptions in China must be processed through the American Consulate on Shamian Island in Guangzhou. Hence, the White Swan is a very popular hotel to stay at while doing the paperwork. Around the white swan are a large number of shops catering to visitors to China, where all sorts of souvenirs can be found. We went to Shamian Island last weekend and did a little shopping (my daughters needed some new Chinese dresses). The White Swan is the lighted tall building at the left of the picture.

Of course the big event coming up for China is the Olympics. Almost everyone we meet asks if we are coming back for the Olympics in August. All I can say is "No, too expensive, and I can watch it on TV." They usually agree with that. However, the Olympic mascots and information is all over the city, and the buildings on the night cruise are no exception. This is Huan Huan, one of the 5 Olympic mascots. There is one for each ring in the Olympic symbol. The building alternated between the 5 mascots over a period of about 15-20 seconds.

The boats were also brightly lighted and decorated as well as the bridges and even the edge of the river. After finishing the cruise, it was simply a subway ride back to the hotels and a late night completed.

Visit to Guangzhou Paper Mill

2008-05-21T22:13:00.001-07:00

Thanks to the hospitality of our hosts at South China University of Technology, we were able to visit a newsprint mill in the city of Guangzhou, the Guangzhou Paper Company. So Wednesday became our excursion day, with a trip to the paper mill (about one hour by public bus) followed by a visit to Beijing Road (a popular and crowded shopping area), and a night cruise on the Pearl River (to be described in a following post).

The Guangzhou Paper Company is a recycled newsprint mill that produces about 1100 tons per day. They have three fiber processing lines and five paper machines, which the largest running at over 1500 m/min. We were not able to take pictures inside the mill, but here is the entrance to the mill.

Our tour guide for the day was Mr. Zhong who is the Director of the Production Department and a Senior Engineer with the company. We were able to see the production process from the raw material coming in all the way to the warehouse. The company brings in wastepaper from all over the world with about 60% of its material coming from the US, about 30% from Europe, and only 10% being acquired domestically from China. They do feel that the wastepaper from Europe is generally of a better quality.

The mill is also famous and quite proud of the visit to the mill by Mao Zedong in 1956. The have commemorated this visit in a large photo that is posted as you enter the fill. Of course, we had to have the obligatory photo of our visiting group with this phone in the background. We appreciated the opportunity to visit the mill in China, and the students were somewhat surprised to find how similar the mills are to US mills.

Restaurant Food

2008-05-20T15:01:00.001-07:00

In contrast to the cafeteria food the students had at lunch, there is restaurant food in China. Our hosts at the South China University of Technology have been extremely gracious in seeing to our needs and taking us out to eat. Tonight, Professor Lin took us to a restaurant just outside the campus. Also, once again there was too much food for even 5 hungry college students to each. Professor Lin is the person in front on the right.

In this restaurant, the food was very artfully presented, as is often the case with food in China. Tonight, a number of dishes had decorative garnishes made out of carrots and daikon that made the presentation that much more elegant.

The meal tonight also included Beijing Duck, a speciality that is served in many Chinese restaurants.

Other dishes included tofu, beef, pork, vegetables, and pepper dishes. Also, every meal ends with a plate of fresh fruit, typically including watermelon.

Rest assured, the students are not going hungry on this trip.

Food in the Cafeteria

2008-05-20T01:55:00.001-07:00

While we are staying at the university, we have been eating some of our meals at the cafeterias. This is the same place where the Chinese students eat most of their meals. The prices are very reasonable, the quantities are large, and it is hot and fresh. The hardest part is figuring out the payment and ordering system. The picture below shows Jill and Timothy getting ready to enjoy their lunch.

Timothy is having a bowl of jiaozi, which are dumplings in a soup base.

Jill is having tangmian, which is noodle soup. The noodles are made fresh right at the ordering station and essentially cooked to order.

This evening we will have been invited out for dinner by Dr Lin, who is the head of the Bioengineering group at the college.

Friendship and A Moment of Remembrance

2008-05-19T17:05:00.001-07:00

The students had their second day of classes today are seem to be doing very well after a night on the town. A number of students from SCUT took our students out for dinner and a chance at some conversation. They enjoyed their experience very much and brought back some pictures that they wanted to share.

Today we met the director of the Key Laboratory for Pulp and Paper Engineering, Dr. He. He has been very gracious in allowing us to use his facilities and will be making arrangements for us to visit a local paper mill. He also took us out for lunch together with his wife and a number of other faculty members from the department.

The big event today was the moment of remembrance for the victims of the Sichuan province earthquake, which happened one week ago today. China has declared three days of mourning for the victims starting today. This afternoon at the same time that the earthquake hit, sirens sounded across China and everybody stopped. Around campus, those inside stood quietly on the balconies while cars and pedestrians stopped moving. In addition, all the flags in China are flying at half staff for three days.

Two More Sunday Photos

2008-05-18T10:43:00.000-07:00

Sunday, 1st day of class for students

2008-05-18T10:24:00.000-07:00

Today is Sunday, but it was the first day of class for the students. We will be having class from Sunday through Thursday of this week. A photo of the students in class is attached to show that it is not all fun and games.

Professor Lei has been a wonderful host since our arrival, helping with many of the arrangements and accommodating our needs to teach the course in Guangzhou. SCUT has provided a conference room to use as a classroom and have extended our accommodations for the duration of our stay. The students are integrating into college life at the university and are making use of the food service on campus. The food prices are very reasonable, a lunch or dinner typically costing Y6 (about US$0.86) and breakfast being even cheaper. The cafeterias seem to be place to meet Chinese university students with some students offering to show our students around. After class tomorrow, they are going out with some of the students from South China University of Technology. I am also eating in the cafeteria for my meals. This evening for dinner I enjoyed a bowl of jiao zi, which is dumplings in soup.

The weather remains warm and humid but not quite as warm as our first days here. The highs are near 90 degF with very high humidity. There was even a bit of rain this afternoon, but that only marginally cooled things off.

The big news in China of course remains the earthquake in Sichuan province. I heard on the news that “they” have officially upgraded the magnitude of the quake to 8.0. There also remain aftershocks as recently as yesterday, with these being of 5 to 6 magnitude. While a massive rescue and relief effort is underway, there is a new danger of flooding from landslides that have blocked rivers to form lakes that may soon breech. There has also been a massive outpouring of help from the Chinese people: Relief drives are going on all over the country and the government is sending more and more help to the area.

The area of the epicenter is the home of the most famous panda reserve in China. The news from the reserve is that 3 pandas are missing and many of the panda houses are damaged. A second panda reserve located in Chengdu was relatively undamaged.

I leave you with a picture of the students in class and some pictures around campus.

1 More Photo from China

2008-05-17T19:48:00.000-07:00

Hello once again, this time with just one more photo

More Photos From China

2008-05-17T19:42:00.000-07:00

Here are some more photos from China

Arrival in China

2008-05-17T10:48:00.000-07:00

We successfully reached Guangzhou China on Thursday evenings after flights of 1.5 hours, 13 hours, and 5 hours with stops in Detroit and Tokyo. Professor Lei together with Professor Chen met us at the airport and brought us to South China University of Technology (SCUT), arriving there about 12:30 in the morning (our flight didn’t arrive in China until 11:00pm.

After a very short night, we gathered for breakfast at the hotel. The immersion into Chinese culture was immediate, as we had a traditional Cantonese breakfast of congee, dumplings, and tea. After breakfast, we toured the campus of SCUT and especially the laboratories of the Key Laboratory for Pulp and Paper Engineering. They have a lot of similar equipment to what we have and they are planning on expanding their building by at least double in the near future. They are one of 16 pulp and paper schools in China. In the afternoon, Dr. Scott gave a presentation to faculty members and graduate students in the Paper Engineering department. The presentation was followed by a discussion of student life between the Chinese college students and the students from SUNY-ESF. After dinner, a group of tired students headed back to the hotel.

Saturday was a day of sightseeing in Guangzhou. Guangzhou is located in southern China and is probably one of the most prosperous cities in China. It is also very historic, with over 2000 years of history. We visited a number of these historic sights including the Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall, which commemorates Sun Yat Sen, the founder of the Republic of China.

We also visited the Mausoleum of the Nanyue King, which was discovered when auxiliary building to the China Hotel was being built. The relics found in the tomb are now in a very interesting museum and we were able to also go into the tomb itself. It is very strange to find this in the middle of a city of over 10 million people. The museum contained over 1000 items of jade and bronze objects.

We also visited the Five-Rams statue. As the legend goes, 5 gods rode rams to meet in Guangzhou to make sure that the local people would never suffer hunger and desolation. The statue commemorates this meeting and now has become a symbol of Guangzhou city

Our final stop for the day was to visit Shamian island which is where the White Swan Hotel is located, possibly one of the most famous hotels in Guangzhou. It is also the “headquarters” of adoption by Americans. While some of the artwork in the shops in the Hotels cost over Y200000 (about $30000), much more reasonable shopping was found outside the hotel including silk items, paintings, and other artwork. The day ended with a subway ride back to SCUT and dinner. Tomorrow, the class will start.

Due to the earthquake in Chengdu, we will not be travelling to the Sichuan province. Instead we will be staying in Guangzhou through Friday, 23 May. On Friday, we will travel to Xiamen, which is further north on the coast from Guangzhou. There we will be visiting Xiamen University through Sunday, 1 June. We will finish our trip sightseeing in Beijing and returning to the United States on 5 June.

The pictures are:
Ready to leave at Syracuse Hancock Airport
At the Key Laboratory at South China University of Technology
Eating dinner at a restaurant
Alan and Steven at the Sun Yat Sun Memorial Hall
The Five Rams Statue
Visiting the Nanyue Tomb (Tom-our guide, Steven, and Jill
Alan and Steven in the tomb
Touring the Key Laboratory with Professor Lei
At the Key Laboratory at South China University of Technology with Professor Lei
Papermachine at the laboratory

On Our Way To China

2008-05-14T05:04:00.000-07:00

We are on our way to China. We are currently waiting at the Syracuse Airport for the first leg of a three-flight trip that will take 26 hours. You may have heard of the earthquake that hit Chengdu on Monday, which was one of our destinations. After much discussion and thought, we are going ahead with the trip with an adjusted itinerary that will keep us in the coastal areas and away from the affected areas. The first four days of our trip will be spent in Guangzhou in the south of China. Our trip ends with four days in Beijing. The middle part of our trip will be settled when we get to China. Dr. Shijie Liu is already in China and looking into alternative arrnagements.

While the students are in China, they will be taking a course from me: "Principles of Mass and Energy Balances." However, the trip will also include a number of sightseeing opportunities and cultural exchanges with students in China.

The students are excited to be going and we will be in touch via a number of different mechanisms including this blog.

---Gary M. Scott
---Professor and Chair