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Woodscience and
Technology FAQ
Q: What is Wood Science and Technology?
Wood Science and Technology allows students to explore wood in depth
ranging from the handcrafting of furniture and art, to new ways of
producing
advanced engineered wood composites. Wood Science and Technology is not Forestry or Forest Operations. Although Wood Scientists are trained to understand both Forestry
and and Forest Products operations, they generally work with wood as
a material and from the perspective of either business, engineering, or scientific applications.
It is true though that many Forestry companies find that Wood Science and Technology programs produce students with diverse talents
and our students are often preferentially hired to work in the Forestry field.
Wood Science and Technology is closely allied to Engineering, but does not require the same degree of
mathematical training that most
engineering degrees do. In addition to gaining a broad
understanding of how to work with wood and the properties of wood, students are trained in a combination of engineering, business and science which provides a broad
educational base producing graduates that are highly sought after.
Q: What type of careers are available in the field after graduation and what kind of $alary can I expect?
There are many different types of employment opportunities available to graduates. These range from engineering and design;
production and quality control positions, to marketing and sales and research and education.
Some individuals also start their own wood design or hand-crafted
wood product businesses. The range of opportunities, runs from small
specialized businesses with one or two persons, to companies that specialize in the
design of construction materials, engineered composites or the manufacturing of other wood-based products.
As one example, in just one of the employment sectors, please click
HERE to view current positions available in forest products
manufacturing (please note that this site is not a UMaine site but operated by a professional search and recruiting firm).
Q: What are the long-term prospects for career growth after receiving your degree in Wood Science and Technology?
The value of forest products shipped is greater than $250 Billion annually. The amount
 of wood products that we use each year
continues to increase, and this trend will continue. The US forest products industry ranks sixth among domestic manufacturing
sectors and leads the world in productivity, sustainability, and recycling. For these reasons career opportunities and growth
are very strong and it is anticipated they will remain so as technological advancements continue expand directions and
opportunities for product development. A sample of career positions reported by graduates of our program include:
- Forestry Products Specialist, USDA Forest Service
- Technical Director and Products Development Manager, Weyerhauser Corp.
- Estimator, National Lumber Co.
- Securities Analyst, Merrill-Lynch Co.
- Design Engineer, Wood Structures, Inc.
- Technical Analyst, Fact. Mutual Insurance Co.
- Conservator, Spring Point Museum
- Technical Director, Swain Industries
- Estimator/Engineer, Wood Fabricators, Inc.
- CEO, Colonial Craft Corp.
Q: How does Forest Conservation through Wood Science and Technology work?
One hundred years ago the efficiency of wood use, in terms of the amount of product produced, compared to the amount of wood
actually cut, was only 50%. This means that half of the wood brought out of the forest was wasted! By the middle of the last century,
as Wood Science and Technology programs began to develop across the country, efficiency had risen to 70%. We now produce
wood products with an efficiency of 90% recovery. There is still room for improvement, but only through continued education
in the field of Wood Science and Technology programs we can maintain and increase our ability to provide forest products while
minimizing impact on our forests by finding new ways to conserve our natural resources. The US leads the world in
sustainability and recycling of wood and wood fiber.
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