Introduction
The forest and paper industry is one of the most diverse and economically important industries to the United States. Ranging from state-of-the-art paper mills to some 9 million individual woodlot owners, the industry employs 1.7 million people while ranking among the top ten manufacturing employers in 42 states. The forest and paper industry, while providing society with wood and paper products vital to everyday life, also meets the expectations of Americans by serving as responsible environmental stewards - providing homes for wildlife, protecting air and water quality, and managing forests for future generations.

Papermaking is the fifth largest industry in the United States. The industry employs thousands of individuals across the country to produce millions of tons of paper each year. Papermaking includes not only the companies that make paper, but also companies that supply the industry its equipment, chemicals, supplies and other raw materials. Papermaking is complex and requires sophisticated machinery and equipment. It also requires highly trained individuals to ensure that every process operates safely and efficiently.

Department Features
The Paper Science and Engineering faculty is committed to undergraduate education and continuing education activities. Faculty members give students personalized attention and career guidance and participate with students in professional and extracurricular activities. Our tenured faculty have degrees in either paper science or chemical engineering. The facilities at UWSP feature a modern paper testing lab and a pilot-scale paper machine. These facilities provide a unique learning environment for paper science students. The paper industry is a key participant in the education of paper science students at UWSP. Their support through the Paper Science Foundation includes financial assistance, program advisement and review. The industry has also donated considerable laboratory equipment for student use.

Paper Science students enjoy a wide range of scholastic activities, such as touring pulp, paper, and allied facilities. They also attend professional meetings and seminars on current developments in the science and technology of papermaking through the student chapter of TAPPI, the professional organization of the industry.

Members of the faculty: Professor Gerry Ring, Ph.D., Department Chair; Professor Karyn Biasca, Ph.D.; Professor Donald Guay, Ph.D.

Why Study Paper Science at UW-Stevens Point?
The undergraduate program in Paper Science at UWSP prepares individuals for careers in the pulp, paper and allied industries. Students in this program study mathematics, chemistry, physics and engineering, as well as the science and technology associated with the manufacture of pulp and paper. The Paper Science curriculum is challenging, including courses such as mass and energy balances, fluid mechanics, heat transfer, thermodynamics, process dynamics, wood and pulping chemistry, paper and fiber physics, and colloid and surface chemistry.

This program develops excellent problem-solving abilities, communication and interpersonal skills. Numerous opportunities for students to acquire technical working experience are made available by the industry each year. These opportunities include cooperative work experiences that provide the student with a a semester working in the field. Summer internships are another avenue for work experience.