of $100 billion. Paper has indeed become big business. Located on a corner of the Georgia Tech campus, the Institute of Paper Science and Technology (formerly The Institute of Paper Chemistry) is dedicated to the further development and utilization of this inexpensive but highly versatile material called paper. "The Institute is a small, private, graduateresearch university which was created in 1929," says Dr. Richard Matula, IPST president. "Since its inception, the Institute has pursued three synergistic missions: graduate-level, multidisciplinary education; research; and service. All are focused on the technological needs of the pulp and paper industry." "^ With support from nearly 60 of the nation's major pulp and paper manufacturers and supplier companies, researchers at the Institute are addressing such concerns as enhanced productivity, improved quality control, dwindling resources, and meeting increasingly stringent environmental regulations. They do this through a rigorous program consisting of both fundamental and applied research, process engineering, and commercialization of technology. Projects range from studying a tree as a raw, renewable resource, to converting that tree into paper products, to utilizing those
products as unique engineering materials.
A Time of Transition
I
n the early days, the Institute was affiliated with Lawrence College, a small liberal arts institution in Appleton, Wis. But as the Institute grew and its mission broadened in complexity, the intellectual interaction among peer researchers in Appleton became limited. "The days of Edisonian science were over," says Matula, "and we realized that we could not continue to make major contributions to the tec linological development of the pulp and paper industry by working in an isolated environment. It became clear that, to best meet the needs of our constituV encies, we needed to have a synergistic relationship with a major research university that possessed strong programs in science and engineering." The search for a new home took Institute Researchers from representatives to a number of universities Georgia Pacific, an and research institutes. Several tempting offers IPST supporter, were received, but the one which caused the examine seedling most excitement came from Georgia Tech. growth in one of the "Georgia Tech and the state of Georgia company nurseries. were enthusiastic about forming an alliance," says Matula, "and pledged $15 million to support our move. Atlanta is a dynamic city and major transportation hub, and there is a grows. ing focus on pulp and paper in the Southeast. I It's good to be where the action is." But more important to bringing the Institute to Atlanta was Tech's solid tradition of conducting both basic and applied research. "Some universities put a low premium on applied research," says Matula. "Georgia Tech filled the perspective of the type of research university we truly wanted to form an alliance with." So, after 60 years in Appleton, the Institute moved to Atlanta in July 1989. Temporary offices were opened in the old, remodeled Atlantic Steel warehouse on 14th Street. In September 1992, the Institute moved into its newly constructed headquarters: the $28.7 million Paper Tricentennial Building on the corner of 10th and Hemphill streets. The 162,000-square-foot facility houses laboratories, classrooms, offices, a library and a museum (see story at right). The old Atlantic Steel property is still used by the Institute as an industrial research facility. The facility houses pilot-scale equipment and space to expand laboratory activities. IPST President Matula: "Georgia Tech filled the perspective of the type The alliance has proved beneficial to both of research university we truly wanted to form an alliance with." 34
GEORGIA TECH • Spring 1995