David DeVallance

Dr. David DeVallance came to Commonwealth University after serving as the vice rector for internationalization at the University of Primorska (UP) and Group Leader for Renewable Materials Composites (RMC) at the InnoRenew Center of Excellence in Koper, Slovenia. As vice rector, he was responsible for leading UP’s international research and education and was instrumental in shaping their development strategy and securing the university’s inclusion in the Transform4Europe alliance. He was selected as a 2020-21 Association of International Education Administrators Presidential Fellow in recognition of his leadership at UP. At InnoRenew, he led and managed a group of diverse, international scientists to advance the institute’s strategic research, innovation, and development priorities in composite materials for sustainable and healthy built environments. In this role, he also provided mentorship through the supervision of two Marie Skłodowska-Curie European Post-Doctoral Fellows.

Previously, Dr. DeVallance was an associate professor and program chair in the Wood Science and Technology Program at West Virginia University, where he still holds a courtesy appointment as an adjunct associate professor. While at West Virginia, he was instrumental in building the capacity to develop and test cross-laminated timber panels and led efforts to utilize hardwood lumber as a species to produce the panels. During his tenure as program chair, he led changes in the wood science and technology curriculum and the development of new areas of emphasis. He also served as the site director for the Bioenergy and Bioproducts Education program and as a mentor in The Consortium for Advanced Bioeconomy Leadership Education program, both of which were funded by the USDA/National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

He received a B.S. in wood products processing and manufacturing from the Pennsylvania State University and his M.S. and Ph.D. in wood science from Oregon State University.