SUNY-ESF Graduate Returns to College as Provost

Dr. Bruce Bongarten
6/1

SYRACUSE, N.Y.—A graduate of the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) will rejoin his alma mater as provost and vice president of academic affairs July 1.

Dr. Bruce Bongarten, who earned his bachelor of science in forest biology at ESF in 1973, was chosen to succeed Dr. William P. Tully.

Dr. Bongarten is a specialist in the genetics and breeding of forest trees and the physiology of tree growth. He received his bachelor's degree in forest biology from ESF in 1973 and his doctorate in forestry and genetics from Michigan State University.

He has been employed with the University of Georgia since 1978. He has served as associate dean for academic affairs at the Daniel B. Warnell School of Forest Resources and professor since 1999. He previously served as a visiting scientist at Weyerhaeuser Company, as a graduate research assistant at Michigan State University, as a research assistant at the USDA Forest Service's Intermountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, and as a forester with St. Regis Paper Company.

He has done consulting work with Weyerhaeuser, the Southeastern Consortium for International Development, Augusta National Golf Course, the Georgia Department of Transportation Ecological Division, and Parsons Engineering Science, Inc.

He is the author or co-author of more than 60 scholarly papers. Tully has been employed with ESF since 1966. After stepping down as provost, he will continue to serve the college as director of the Division of Engineering and director of the Joachim Center for Forest Industry, Economy and Environment.

ESF announces additional organizational changes:

• Dr. Edwin H. White will step down as dean of research July 1. He will assume other responsibilities, including serving as director of the ESF-based SUNY Center for Sustainable and Renewable Energy, and associate director of the Renewable Energy Initiative at the Syracuse Center of Excellence. White will also act as research coordinator of ESF's Biomass Research and Development Initiative.
• Dr. Neil H. Ringler will step down as chair of the Faculty of Environmental and Forest Biology (EFB) and will assume the position of interim dean of research. A national search is underway to fill Ringler's EFB chair.
• Brenda Greenfield has been promoted to director of development. She will be assisted by a new staff member, Robert R. Quinn, a 1975 master's graduate of ESF, who will serve as assistant director. Quinn most recently served as executive director of Thousand Islands Land Trust and is the former director of the Tug Hill Commission.
• Dr. James M. Heffernan, vice president for student affairs and educational services, will retire June 13 after 20 years with ESF. He has accepted the position of executive director of the New York Campus Compact at Cornell University. The Campus Compact supports civic engagement and service learning on college campuses.