On February 11, 2000, GW's E&EM program was one of several university environmental and natural resources programs that met to help design RNRF’s new University Affiliate Program and to provide input to the RNRF’s year 2000 Congress on “The Evolving Role of Natural Resource Professionals.”  The Renewable Natural Resources Foundation is a federation of 15 professional societies, such as the American Forestry Society, American Water Resources Association, the Wildlife Society and the American Society of Civil Engineers.  It owns and operates the 31-acre Grosvenor Estate in Bethesda, Maryland, where the headquarters offices of many of the Foundation’s member organizations are located. 

The purposes of the RNRF University Affiliate Program are to (1) link RNRF and educational institutions in order to exchange information, (2) increase participation in professional and educational organizations, and (3) help shape future public policies affecting renewable natural resources by uniting representatives from various disciplines.

Participating in the February 11 meeting were the following officials:

• Gregory N. Brown, Dean, College of Natural Resources, Virginia Polytechnic University
• William Kelly, Dean, School of Engineering, The Catholic University of America
• Larry Nielson – Director, School of Forest Resources, Pennsylvania State University and former President, American Fisheries Society
• Jonathan P. Deason – Lead Professor, Environmental and Energy Management Program, School of Engineering and Applied Science, The George Washington University
• John S. Dickey, Jr. – Director of Outreach and Research Support, American Geophysical Union, and former Dean, School of Science, Mathematics and Engineering, Trinity University 
• Albert A. Grant – Chairman, Engineers’ Forum for Sustainable Development, American Association of Engineering Societies, and Past President, American Society of Civil Engineers
• Robert Day – Executive Director, Renewable Natural Resources Foundation
• Kristen Krapf – Renewable Natural Resources Foundation

University representatives (l-r, standing): Robert Day, RNRF Executive Director; Jonathan Deason, George Washington University; Larry Nielsen, Pennsylvania State University; (l-r, seated): Gregory Brown, Virginia Tech; William Kelly, Catholic University; Albert Grant, American Association of Engineering Societies

Based on feedback provided by the university representatives, the RNRF has agreed to undertake the following steps as part of its University Affiliate Program initiative:

- Provide universities with copies of the Renewable Resources Journal.
- Publicize the work of RNRF’s member organizations by providing universities with information on meetings and other activities.
- Invite university representatives to serve on RNRF’s committees and participate in RNRF meetings and programs.
- Provide universities with a directory of people involved in the educational components of RNRF’s member organizations.
- Prepare educational programs for universities on public policy issues.
 

Deans Larry Nielson (PSU) and Greg Brown (VPI) work with RNRF's Kristen Krapf on University Affiliate Program

GW faculty or graduate students interested in participating in these activities are invited to contact Professor Deason at jdeason@seas.gwu.edu.