This December, get to know TAPPI member Andrew "Andy" Jones, Ph.D., as he stars in the Member Spotlight. Andy is currently Senior Engineering Fellow for International Paper where he is responsible for recovery boiler operation improvements and upgrades, environmental compliance and identifying green energy opportunities.

He has written articles for TAPPI JOURNAL, Pulp and Paper Canada, and the Journal of Pulp and Paper Science. An active volunteer throughout his membership, he served as Chair of this year's highly successful EPE/PEERS Conference and will start his first term as Engineering Division Chair in 2011-2012.

Spotlight participants are recommended by fellow members and staff. If you would like to nominate a member (or even yourself!) just send their name (or names) to MemberSpotlight@tappi.org. We will forward a Spotlight Questionnaire to fill out and return.

We look forward to seeing you in the Spotlight!

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P. Borje Wahlstrom, 84, died at home in Audubon, Pa., USA, on October 4. He was born in Harnas, Sweden, on September 29, 1926, and moved to the U.S. in 1965, becoming a U.S. citizen in 1991.

Graduating in 1949 from the Swedish Royal Institute of Technology with a degree in Chemical Engineering, Wahlstrom joined the pulp and paper industry, working first for several pulp and paper companies and then a prominent machinery manufacturer. Always passionate about his work, he launched his own successful consulting business in 1973, from which he reluctantly retired in 2000.

During the course of his career, Wahlstrom was granted more than 50 patents and received a considerable number of awards. In 1992 he was recognized with the Gunnar Nicholson Gold Medal, the highest honor in the pulp and paper industry, for his preeminent scientific and engineering achievements of proven commercial benefit to the industry.

Wahlstrom traveled the world for work and fun. His hobbies included tennis, table tennis, bridge, reading, dancing, and socializing. He was fiercely competitive and did nothing to hide it. He will be best remembered for his intellect, sense of humor, and exuberant optimism.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Jean, and is survived by three daughters and four grandchildren.

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It's never too early to begin planning for a 100th anniversary, and we're pulling out all the stops. TAPPI will celebrate its 100-year anniversary in 2015 and it is time to start planning for it now. If you are interested in participating on a committee to plan this historic occasion, please contact David Bell at dbell@tappi.org.

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Make your plans now to join professionals from industry, universities and research institutes at the 13th TAPPI European PLACE Conference, which will be held 30 May to 1 June 2011 at the Festspiel- und Kongresshaus in Bregenz, Austria.

The technical program for this biennial conference will have a special emphasis on the latest trends and technologies relating to extrusion, coating, and lamination of web-based materials.

Topics to be covered include:

• Developments in web materials, polymers and adhesives - their behavior and processing
• What's new in converting technology – extrusion, lamination and process control
• Final product design – a society commitment considering sustainability
• Characterization – inspection, methods and standards for materials

Register online or download the faxable registration form.

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TAPPI has announced its course schedule for the first quarter of 2011. It will include three TAPPI courses and one North Carolina State University course. The first courses – Introduction to Pulp and Paper and Kraft Recovery – are being offered January 10-13.

Taught by seasoned industry experts, these courses provide skill development and enhancement to professionals in the pulp, paper and converting industry. The courses include topic overviews, specific problem-solving sessions and solutions-oriented curriculum. The 2011 first quarter courses, their dates and locations include:

Introduction to Pulp and Paper Technology, January 10-13, St. Petersburg, Florida -- This course is ideal for anyone new to the pulp and paper industry. It offers a comprehensive overview of the entire pulping and papermaking process.

Kraft Recovery, January 10-13, St. Petersburg, Florida – The Kraft Recovery module is a thorough review of key recovery operations in kraft pulp mills. It is designed to help attendees improve pulp production efficiency ,minimize operating costs and reduce environmental impact.

Best Practices on the Corrugator, February 15-18, Norcross, Georgia – Through TAPPI Best Practices on the Corrugator, a range of plant employees will learn how to achieve higher productivity, better product quality and waste reduction during one comprehensive course.

Hands-On Workshop for Pulp and Paper Basics, March 14-18, NC State, Raleigh, NC --This hands-on workshop will provide a broad overview of Pulping, Bleaching, Chemical Recovery, Recycling, Papermaking and Converting. The 5-day course will consist of presentations in the morning and hands-on laboratory and pilot-plant exercises in the afternoon.

More information is available on the TAPPI courses website about the specifics of these offerings, including registration costs and deadlines.

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The world's leading pulp and paper event, SPCI, takes place in Stockholm, Sweden, May 17-19, 2011. For the 2011 event, the organisers, Adforum and the Swedish Paper Engineers Association, are introducing a brand new concept – The Magic Future of Pulp & Paper. The essence of the concept is simple but important – making it easier for people to meet.

The heart of the event will be the three squares in the hall. The squares will hold all major conference activities and entertainment during the three-day event. This means that the SPCI 2011 conference is free for all participants of the SPCI event. Each square will have a separate program and the three programs run simultaneously during the event, offering a variety of presentations for visitors and exhibitors.

The SPCI event in 2008 attracted almost 14,000 visitors from 61 countries making it the most international event in the industry. The booking and allocation of stands are already in progress. For more information and contact details, visit www.spcievent.com

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The University of Maine Pulp and Paper Foundation in Orono, Maine, recently distributed more than $262,000 in scholarship funds to engineering and forestry students interested in pulp and paper industry-related careers.

The fall 2010 semester scholarship recipients were announced at a Sept. 16 banquet attended by more than 80 students and 15 people who employ UMaine students through co-op programs or internships.

"The Pulp and Paper Foundation is a key resource for the future engineers of our industry," noted Dale Wibberly, Sappi Fine Paper North America's human resource manager at the event. "We are very excited about the quality of engineering students who have obtained their education from UMaine."

"Our scholarship budget in 2010 is more than $750,000, allowing us to support 90 students with full tuition scholarships – most of our scholarships are for engineering students, but several are targeted for forestry majors," added Jack Healy, the foundation's executive director. "The job market for engineers in the paper industry looks very strong over the next 10-15 years, primarily due to current engineers in our industry reaching retirement age."

The Pulp and Paper Foundation was founded in 1950 and has supported more than 3,000 students.
For more information about the Pulp and Paper Foundation Scholarship program visit www.mainepulpaper.org.

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Join industry experts, scientists, health and safety specialists, legal and government policy makers, and leading researchers June 6-8, 2011 in Arlington, Va., USA for the latest in nanotechnology research and development at the 2011 TAPPI International Conference on Nanotechnology for Renewable Materials.

Formerly known as TAPPI's International Conference on Nanotechnology for the Forest Products Industry, the title of this annual conference has been changed to reflect the advances in nanotechnology in renewable materials and their widespread applications in many other industries. The technical focus of the conference has been expanded to include other nanomaterials along with cellulose to fully embrace all nano-enabled biomaterials.

This year's conference theme is Nanotechnology for a Sustainable Future. You will find presentations focusing on several key thematic areas such as:
• Nanocellulosics and Nanocomposites
• Applications of Renewable Nanomaterials
• Nanostructured materials by Self Assembly
• Nanotech Coatings and Novel Nano-Enabled Functionalities
• Governmental & Environmental Issues

Abstracts are currently being accepted for this one-of-a-kind event. View the call for papers. Reduced conference rate available for speakers.

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The Call for Papers for the 2011 Progress in Paper Physics Seminar is underway.

Since 1980 the Progress in Paper Physics Seminar has been organized biannually by the TAPPI Paper Physics Committee. The 2011 event, taking place September 5-8 at Graz University of Technology in Graz, Austria, will cover all areas of fiber and paper physics, i.e. characterization, behavior and performance of fibers, papermaking processes and the final product. Both theoretical and applied research papers are welcomed. A poster session will provide the opportunity to discuss selected contributions peer-to-peer.

Learn more about the event and the call for papers. The deadline to submit is January 31, 2011.

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