Timber Engineering Faculty Development Workshop

As mass timber and hybrid structures become more common in commercial construction, engineering programs are seeing growing interest from students—and the AEC firms that will one day employ them —in wood design. Many faculty are looking for practical ways to introduce light-frame wood and mass timber topics into existing structures, materials, and design courses or create new standalone courses.

To support this effort, Clemson University’s Wood Utilization + Design Institute (WU+D) is hosting a Timber Engineering Faculty Development Workshop on June 9–11, 2026, for tenure-track civil and structural engineering faculty interested in expanding wood design education at their institutions. 

Sponsored by Think Wood and led by WU+D Fellow Professor Weichiang Pang, this three-day workshop brings together engineering faculty for a hands-on program focused on teaching wood design. Guest speakers from UC San Diego, Oregon State, and SUNY Buffalo will share approaches they have used to successfully integrate wood design into engineering curricula, while AEC industry speakers will present real-world case studies illustrating current practice in mass timber design and construction.

Faculty will be provided and engaged with ready-to-teach course materials, tour Clemson’s experimental forest, leading-edge mass timber buildings, and research facilities. Sessions will cover light-frame and mass timber design, connection detailing, code considerations, and strategies for incorporating wood topics into new and existing courses. A visit to Timberlab’s Piedmont, South Carolina, facility will provide a firsthand look at mass timber fabrication and real-world project delivery. 

The workshop is limited to 30 faculty from civil and structural engineering programs. Lodging, meals, materials, and local transportation are provided, and travel expenses will be reimbursed.

Applications are due April 20, 2026. Faculty interested in developing the skills to teach wood design, advancing their professional development, and connecting with peers and industry leaders are encouraged to apply through Clemson University’s workshop webpage. Click here to apply.