Walter L Mills Jr

Research Group - Forest Measurement and Assessment/GIS

Facilities - Office of Student Services

Walter L. “W.L.” Mills, Jr. is Associate Professor and the Director, Office of Student Services (OSS), Department of Forestry and Natural Resources (FNR). He earned a B.S. in Forest Management from Auburn University in 1972, served in the US Navy from 1972 to 1977, and received M.S. (1977) and PH.D. (1980) in Forest Economics from Purdue University. He then served on the faculty at Auburn University from 1980 to 1983. Since returning to the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources (FNR), Purdue University in 1983, he has taught many courses including forest ecosystem management, timber management and several course related to information systems and GIS. Prior to being assigned as Director, OSS, his research involved economic and financial factors that influenced natural resources decisions primarily by private, individual forestland owners.

As Director, Office of Student Services, W.L. is responsible for academic counseling, academic administration (interface with University offices for academic scheduling and registration), curriculum development and management, and placement. Current research interests focus on student learning and assessment of learning at the individual student, course and curriculum levels. W.L. is expanding and assessing the use of collaborate and group learning to improve learning and student’s critical thinking and problem solving abilities.

Awards & Honors

(2005) Outstanding Counselor. Department of Forestry and Natural Resources.

(2003) Outstanding Counselor Award. School of Agriculture.

(2003) Richard MacDowell Outstanding Academic Counselor Award. Purdue University.

Selected Publications

Chivoiu, B. C., Shao, G., Moser, J. W., & Mills, W. L. (2006). ArcFVS: An integration of a geographic information system and ForestVegetation Simulator. SCIENCE IN CHINA SERIES E-TECHNOLOGICAL SCIENCES, 49(1), 35-44. doi:10.1007/s11431-006-8105-1

Gillespie, A., Rawlins, W., Mills, W., Coppin, P., Olsson, M., Rosen, K., . . . Magnusson, T. (1998). Teaching across cultures - A model for international education in thenatural resources. JOURNAL OF FORESTRY, 96(2), 20-24.

SHIH, T., & MILLS, W. (1993). FMDSS - A SPATIAL AND ECOLOGICAL FOREST MANAGEMENT TOOL FOR UPLANDHARDWOODS OF THE CENTRAL UNITED-STATES. 93(4), 188-193.

MILLS, W. (1988). FORESTLAND - INVESTMENT ATTRIBUTES AND DIVERSIFICATION POTENTIAL. JOURNAL OF FORESTRY, 86(1), 19-24.

MILLS, W. (1987). EXPERT SYSTEMS - APPLICATIONS IN THE FOREST PRODUCTS INDUSTRY. FOREST PRODUCTS JOURNAL, 37(9), 40-44.

MILLS, W., & TUFTS, R. (1985). EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT - A COMPARISON OF 2 METHODS. FOREST SCIENCE, 31(3), 661-670.

MILLS, W., & HOOVER, W. (1982). INVESTMENT IN FOREST LAND - ASPECTS OF RISK AND DIVERSIFICATION. LAND ECONOMICS, 58(1), 33-51. doi:10.2307/3146075