With the faculty chair of the Fred M. van Eck Professor of Forest Biology in the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources and the  director for Tropical HTIRC, opportunities for research and extension outreach is limitless. My research interests include: reforestation and restoration of forest trees, with emphasis on understanding the eco-physiology of forest regeneration in response to management and environmental stress. Our research groups focus on themes including nursery propagation of native forest trees and seedling quality, site preparation and plantation establishment, use of physiological tools to understand developmental mechanisms in trees, and the restoration of threatened species. As the director of Tropical HTIRC opportunities expand with collaborative research, development, and technology transfer effort between industry, university, private, state, and federal entities.