MSU’s Shmulsky honored with distinguished wood science service award
Contact: Meg Henderson
STARKVILLE, Miss.—The 24th International Nondestructive Testing and Evaluation of Wood Symposium recently honored Mississippi State faculty member Rubin Shmulsky with its Distinguished Service Award.
The Warren S. Thompson Professor of Wood Science and Technology in MSU’s Forest and Wildlife Research Center, Shmulsky is being honored for his impactful research and leadership in wood science and engineering. He was recognized at the Vicksburg symposium last month cohosted by MSU’s Department of Sustainable Bioproducts and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Products Laboratory.
Kevin Ragon, associate professor in MSU’s sustainable bioproducts department and member of the nominating committee, noted Shmulsky’s extensive knowledge and dedication to the field.
“Throughout our time working together, Rubin has consistently demonstrated a profound understanding of wood products research. His extensive knowledge has not only earned him the trust and respect of our entire industry but also has made him a pivotal figure in supporting tomorrow’s leaders,” he said. “Rubin is known for his integrity and commitment to excellence and is someone colleagues and industry partners can always count on, whether for advice, collaboration or leadership.”
An MSU graduate with a master’s degree in forest products and Ph.D. in forest resources, Shmulsky has served as a sustainable bioproducts faculty member for 22 years, including 18 as department head and six as associate director of MSU’s Sustainable Energy Research Center. He has mentored numerous graduate students, scientists and faculty in the study of nondestructive evaluation, and his mentees have become industry, research and academic leaders across the world.
Shmulsky has secured approximately $15 million from the USDA Forest Products Laboratory to support his faculty and students’ NDE research and led extensive collaborations between his MSU-based team of scientists and international experts in the field. He has spearheaded condition assessments of timber structures across the country and authored many of the industry’s most widely used reference documents in NDE-related topics. Through his leadership, NDE became integrated into the MSU teaching and research program and is closely connected with industry practitioners and stakeholders.
“I’m humbled to receive this recognition. Nondestructive testing and evaluation have major implications and opportunities for adding value to Mississippi forestland, timber and lumber and making forest products last longer,” Shmulsky said. “MSU has a strong commitment to this effort, and I’m beyond proud to spend my career working with a great team that continues to move these efforts forward.”
To learn more about MSU’s Forest and Wildlife Research Center and Department of Sustainable Bioproducts, visit www.fwrc.msstate.edu and www.bioproducts.msstate.edu.
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