Whitney Knollenberg and Rajan Parajuli, professors in the College of Natural Resources, are among 20 early- and mid-career faculty named to North Carolina State University’s 2025–26 class of University Faculty Scholars.

The University Faculty Scholars program recognizes faculty for their outstanding academic achievements and contributions to NC State through their teaching, scholarship and service to the university and beyond.

Since the program’s inception in 2012, 298 faculty have been named University Faculty Scholars. These faculty members carry the title for the duration of their faculty appointment at NC State and receive an increase to their base salary.

“We’re incredibly proud of Drs. Knollenberg and Parajuli for being named University Faculty Scholars. Their work reflects the heart of what we do at the College of Natural Resources, and this recognition celebrates not only their scholarship but the meaningful impact they are making across North Carolina and beyond,” said Myron Floyd, dean of the College of Natural Resources.

Knollenberg, an associate professor in the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management and Extension specialist, joined the College of Natural Resources in August 2016. She has since also taken on the role of department Extension leader.

Knollenberg’s research focuses on leadership, planning, policy and partnerships that support sustainable, community-based tourism across contexts such as rural, agritourism, food and volunteer tourism, with attention to stakeholder engagement and power dynamics in decision-making and resource management.

Currently, Knollenberg is engaged in research and outreach to advance sustainable tourism development throughout the Outer Banks of North Carolina. This work is supported by the Lighthouse Fund for Sustainable Tourism, a partnership between the College of Natural Resources and Twiddy & Company.

Outer Banks tourism is essential to the North Carolina economy and generates millions of dollars in state and local tax revenue annually. Unfortunately, the region faces significant economic and housing challenges that strain its tourism industry.

Through the fund, Knollenberg is working directly with Outer Banks communities to address the challenges and opportunities created by tourism, engaging with local stakeholders to better understand regional needs and promote strategies for sustainable development.

Knollenberg’s work, which has led to the publication of over 35 peer-reviewed journal articles and secured more than $2 million in grant funding, has earned her several accolades, including the 2018 Travel and Tourism Research Association Rising Star Award.

In addition to her research, Knollenberg currently serves as the lead instructor for two courses, PRT 220: Foundations of Tourism and Event Management and PRT 380: Evidence Based Decision Making in Recreation, Sport, Tourism and Event Management.

Parajuli, an associate professor in the Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources and Extension specialist, joined the College of Natural Resources in January 2018. He previously served as a forest economist with the Texas A&M Forest Service.

Parajuli’s research focuses on forest product markets, trade and policy; economic impacts and development in forest-based regions; carbon and bioenergy markets; forest finance and investment; natural resource policy and governance; and social and community forestry.

One of Parajuli’s current research projects, funded through December 2026 with a $648,004 grant from the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, is evaluating the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the forest-based rural economy in the southern United States.

Forestry, logging and wood-based manufacturing play a key role in rural economies across the southern U.S., with the forest product industry ranking among the top employers in many counties. But like other sectors, the industry has faced significant challenges as a result of the pandemic.

Through the grant, Parajuli is working with communities, forest landowners and industry stakeholders across the southern U.S. to understand how the pandemic affected local economies, forest-based employment and forest management practices.

By sharing findings and practical strategies through outreach programs, Parajuli aims to help rural counties recover and strengthen their forest-based economies, informing forest management and economic policies while supporting sustainable growth.

Parajuli has published over 35 peer-reviewed journal articles and secured more than $1 million in grant funding, including support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the National Science Foundation. He was previously named a 2021-22 Goodnight Early Career Innovator.

In addition to research and extension, Parajuli also teaches several courses at NC State. He currently serves as lead instructor for FOR 414: World Forestry and FOR 419: Forest Economics, both covering the management, economic and policy aspects of forest resources.