Roller, Kalman J., 1913-2004 : Born in 1913 in Borsodnadasd, Hungary, Kalman Joseph Roller studied at the Sopron University of Forestry, from which he graduated in 1937. After his graduation, he was employed by the Hungarian Forestry Service in Miskolc. In 1949, he was transferred to Budapest to reorganize the Research Institute of Forestry and in 1950 became its director. The following year he was offered a teaching position at Sopron. In 1953, he obtained his doctorate in Forestry and the following year was elected Dean of the Sopron University of Forestry.
Following the 1956 Revolution, 220 students and 25 professors of the Sopron University of Forestry left Hungary for Austria, where they established the Faculty of Foresters in exile. As dean of Sopron University, Kalman Roller sent letters to the governments of some twenty countries, requesting their assistance. Upon receiving his request, the Canadian Government invited the Sopron foresters to affiliate their university with the University of British Columbia. Welcoming the invitation, the Hungarian students left Austria for British Columbia to continue their program of studies. Beginning operation in 1957, Sopron continued to be operative at the University of British Columbia until 1961, when the last class graduated. In total, 141 Sopron students received their degrees from the University of British Columbia.
To help the alumni retain contact with each other, the Sopron Alumni Association was established on the initiative of Dr. Roller. To forward this objective, an annual journal, "Kapocs" (Bond) was also published. Upon completing his work at the University of British Columbia, Dr Roller joined the Canadian Forestry Service in Winnipeg, where he started in 1963. Later, he moved to New Brunswick, where he conducted research on reforestation. On his retirement in 1978, he worked on poplar classification in Holland and Ontario. In 1982, he did contract work for a Columbian company as well as volunteer work for the Canadian Executive Service Organization. During the course of his career, Dr. Roller authored several hundred articles as well as a number of books. This included the "Sopron Chronicle", an account of the Sopron University of Forestry at the University of British Columbia. In recognition of his many achievements, he received numerous awards, including the Officer's Cross of the Republic of Hungary.
