** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** CONSTRUCTION BEAMS MADE FROM CARBON-INTENSIVE MATERIALS LIKE STEEL AND CONCRETE ARE PREVALENT STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS IN CIVIL INFRASTRUCTURES. CONSIDERING CLIMATE CHANGE, CO2 EMISSIONS, AND POPULATION GROWTH, IT IS CRITICAL TO DEVELOP CARBON-NEGATIVE BEAMS FROM RENEWABLE RESOURCES. HIGH-PERFORMANCE ENGINEERED WOOD BEAMS, SUCH AS GLULAM, WHICH ARE FABRICATED BY PROCESSING LARGE TREES IN THE FORM OF LUMBER OR VENEER, NOT ONLY MEET THESE REQUIREMENTS BUT CAN ALSO BE USED TO REPLACE THOSE MADE OF STEEL AND CONCRETE. HOWEVER, SMALL DIAMETER TREES THAT ARE BURNED (CARBON SOURCE) OR LEFT ON THE GROUND FROM LOGGING AND THINNING (FUELS FOR FOREST CONFLAGRATIONS), DUE TO A LACK OF HIGH VALUE MARKET AND THE HIGH COST OF REMOVAL, ARE A SERIOUS CHALLENGE. THIS RESEARCH WILL UTILIZE SMALL DIAMETER TREES TO DEVELOP HIGH-PERFORMANCE BEAMS WITH PROFILED WEB STRUCTURES. SUCH A PRODUCT WILL FOSTER A PARADIGM SHIFT IN THE DESIGN OF BEAM STRUCTURES, INCREASE THE VALUE OF SMALL DIAMETER TREES, CREATE A SUSTAINABLE AND FLOURISHING BIOECONOMY, AND PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES. THIS INTEGRATED PROJECT WILL REACH OUT TO HIGH SCHOOL AND UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS, OUR FUTURE WORKFORCE, AS A MEANS TO IMPROVE THEIR INTEREST IN AND AWARENESS OF FOREST PRODUCTS AND PROGRAMS WHILE ENGAGING THEM IN RESEARCH ACTIVITIES THAT HELP THEM TO DEVELOP PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL SKILLS. THE PROPOSED PRODUCT AND EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES WILL HAVE A POSITIVE EFFECT ON FOREST PRODUCTS INDUSTRY AS IT IS BEING NEGATIVELY IMPACTED BY SUBSTITUTE MATERIALS SUCH AS STEEL, CONCRETE, AND PLASTIC, AND SUFFERS FROM DECLINING PROFESSIONALS DUE TO DECREASING ENROLLMENT IN FOREST PRODUCTS PROGRAMS.