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Cale Bigelow, Ph.D.
Professor at Purdue University in the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture specializing in Turf Science and Ecology. He is originally from the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States and is heavily involved in undergraduate instruction and advising for the Turf Science program. Prior to working at the University he was an Assistant Golf Course Manager at two golf courses in suburban Washington D.C., Belle Haven Country Club and The Robert Trent Jones Golf Club. Currently, his applied research program focuses on projects addressing all aspects of the turfgrass industry. These range from identification and regional persistence of low maintenance turfs to intensively managed golf course and athletic field areas. His primary focus areas include the evaluation of both warm and cool-season turfgrass species and cultivars, nutrient management and soil related problems in fine turf areas, practices to improve landscape water conservation as well as management programs utilizing plant growth regulators for golf turf.
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Stacy Bonos, Ph.D.
Professor of Turfgrass Breeding in the Department of Plant Biology at Rutgers University. Her breeding effort focuses on the development of improved, pest resistant, and stress tolerant turfgrasses including bentgrasses for golf courses and native grasses. Her research program focuses on integrating classical genetics and genomics-based marker assisted breeding into a traditional field-based turfgrass breeding program. Her team has specific research projects on breeding for disease resistance, salt tolerance and low maintenance in numerous turfgrass species. She has co-developed over 250 cool-season turfgrass cultivars. She has been recognized for her research through several awards, including Rutgers University Board of Trustees Research Fellowship for Scholarly Excellence, Golf Magazine’s ’40 under 40’, Early Career Excellence in Plant Breeding – Plant Breeding Coordinating Committee, Young Crop Scientist Award from the Crop Science Society of America, and she is a Fellow of the Crop Science Society of America and the Agronomy Society of America.
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Leah Brilman, Ph.D.
Director of Product Management and Technical Services for DLF Pickseed and Seed Research of Oregon. She is a turfgrass breeder who focuses on breeding turfgrass cultivars with reduced inputs. She received a B.S. degree in Biology from California State University Bakersfield, and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Agronomy and Plant Genetics from the University of Arizona. She is a Fellow of the Crop Science Society and recipient of the 2018 Distinguished Service Award from GCSAA, 2012 Fred V. Grau Turfgrass Science Award from the Crop Science Society, 2011 Dr. William Daniels Founders Award from STMA, and 2007 NACPB Breeder of the Year. She has also developed and administered undergraduate contests for turf students for both the GCSAA and STMA.
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Richard Hurley, Ph.D.
Turfgrass specialist focused on breeding improved turfgrasses. In association with Rutgers University, he has been responsible for the development and release of successful creeping bentgrass varieties, such as L-93 and 007. He has previously worked as a golf course superintendent, participated in turfgrass management education, and assisted in course preparation for 30 Masters Tournaments, 5 U.S. Open Tournaments, and dozens of other national golf events.
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Paul Koch, Ph.D.
Associate professor in the Department of Plant Pathology at the University of Wisconsin Madison and has been with UW in various roles since 2005. Dr. Koch’s research focuses primarily on developing precision disease management strategies for snow mold and dollar spot in turfgrass and investigating the fate and impact of turfgrass pesticides in the environment. He also oversees the University of Wisconsin’s Turfgrass Diagnostic Lab and the UW Turfgrass Fungicide Testing Program.
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John Sorochan, Ph.D.
Director for the UT Center for Athletic Field Safety and native of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. John began working on the grounds crew at Earl Grey Golf and Country Club in 1988. He received his Ph.D. in Turfgrass Science from Michigan State University in 2002, and is presently a Distinguished Professor of Turfgrass Science and Management in the Plant Sciences Department at the University of Tennessee (UT). His research program coordinates investigations on environmental turf stress physiology including indirect heat, shade, drought, and wear stress for golf course, sports turf, and commercial and home lawn turf. His research also includes athletic field performance and safety, athlete-to-surface interactions, new cultivar and species evaluation for management and use, sustainable strategies for reduced inputs for golf courses, residential turf, and sod production.
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Eric Watkins, Ph.D.
Professor in the Department of Horticultural Science at the University of Minnesota. His research focuses on the development of low‐input turfgrass cultivars for use in cold climates. Research activities involve germplasm improvement of several cool‐season turfgrass species including the fine fescues and perennial ryegrass. For the last several years, his program has been conducting research on strategies to improve roadside turfgrass establishment and performance. Eric teaches several undergraduate courses.
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