Daniel Hindman named to Rural Builder Hall of Fame

Daniel Hindman of Riner, Va., assistant professor in the Department of Wood Science and Forest Products in Virginia Tech's College of Natural Resources, was elected the 2010 honoree to the Rural Builder Hall of Fame in the educator/academic research category.

Hindman joins his mentor, Harvey B. Manbeck of the Pennsylvania State University, along with more than 90 honorees who have been named to the Rural Builder Hall of Fame. Manbeck, considered by some in the industry as the dean of the post-frame academic community, claims, "Dan is a very good person to receive this honor. Unabashedly, I can say he's an outstanding young engineer and faculty member who has considerable interest in the post-frame industry. I look forward to his continuing contributions in the future."

Hindman's research focuses on green building, which he views as "a kind of engineering problem — to make a more efficient building using less material, less energy, and creating a good quality structure." He recently worked with the technical and research committee on helping post-frame builders to recognize that post-frame building is a form of green building.

At the National Frame Building Expo in Louisville, Ky., Hindman outlined his position on post-frame's role in green building in his presentation, "How to Promote a Low-Cost, Sustainable 'Green' Building." Hindman hoped to "give post-framers some info about green building and the terminology and language that engineers and architects use to help builders communicate with them and get their points across."

In his role as educator, Hindman strives for an outcome-based learning environment. His students undertake work in designing trusses and manufactured housing, sawmill operations, and manufacturing wood products.

Hindman received his bachelor's, master's, and doctorate degrees from Pennsylvania State University.