Plishker Named TRIES Director

Plishker, director of the Institute for Innovative Collaborative Programs at SHSU, replaces Michael Warnock, who resigned to become director of sponsored program administration in the Office of Research at the University of Missouri-Columbia. Plishker will continue to serve in his present capacity as well.

Plishker's appointment was announced by David Payne, vice president for academic affairs at SHSU, and is effective immediately.

"We are delighted to have a person of Gordon's experience who can step in and fill the gap left by Dr. Warnock's departure," said Payne. "He will provide outstanding leadership for the TRIES institute."

"I'm looking forward to having the opportunity to help TRIES fulfill its potential to be a real asset to Sam Houston State University," said Plishker. "I expect to work closely with the departments and university faculty, and to involve students as well whenever possible."

Plishker's professional career has included 21 years in college administration, information technology, program development, project management, and business, government and community relations, and 25 years in science education and biomedical research.

Some of the highlights of his work at SHSU have included:

• Development and management of the Environmental Technology Development and Commercialization Center in Texas City, the first international clearinghouse for verification and commercialization of emerging innovative environmental technologies;

• Creation of the Rural Education System Network for construction of a fiber optic network in rural East Texas to connect public schools, hospitals, the Alabama-Coushatta Indian Reservation and SHSU;

• Development and management of Rural 2000, a consortium of 59 school districts, seven universities, a state education service center, a county library system and a county library consortium representing 39 East Texas libraries to provide information resources and distance education to rural communities;

• Development of a partnership between SHSU and the United Nations to improve the integration and dissemination of global environmental information.

TRIES was founded in 1991 as a partnership between Sam Houston State University and Stephen F. Austin State University. Its goals are to meet the growing need for environmental education, to expand the scope of examination of environmental issues, to improve the environmental risk assessment system, to facilitate transferability of experimental models, and to make comprehensive environmental databases readily accessible to all interested groups.

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SHSU Media Contact: Frank Krystyniak
April 21, 1999
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