Turfgrass Science Students Win Awards at Crop Science Society of America Event

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The Bumpers College turfgrass group from the Department of Horticulture at the CSSA meeting included (front) Dan Sandor; and back from left, professor Doug Karcher, Tyler Carr, Travis Russell, Eric De Boer, Michelle Wisdom, Paige Boyle, Daniel O'Brien and professor Mike Richardson.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Seven University of Arkansas turfgrass science master's degree and doctoral students from the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences recently presented research at the Crop Science Society of America Meetings in Tampa, Florida.

They competed with other students from across the nation with five Department of Horticulture students combining for seven awards and three travel fellowships. In total, 107 papers were presented by turfgrass graduate students representing more than 30 land grant universities.

In the Turfgrass Culture oral competition, Travis Russell, advised by professor Doug Karcher, won first place. Eric De Boer and Paige Boyle, both advised by professor Mike Richardson, were second and third, respectively.

In the Turfgrass Culture poster competition, Russell took first place, Michelle Wisdom, advised by Richardson, was second and Boyle third.

De Boer was the winner in the Golf Course Management poster competition division.

In addition to their performance in the research competitions, De Boer, Boyle and Dan Sandor were awarded the Chris Stiegler Travel Fellowship to help support their costs for attending the meeting. The fellowship is a nationally competitive award through the CSSA and is named in honor of Chris Stiegler, a former doctoral student at the University of Arkansas who passed away in a car accident after completing his degree in 2010.

About the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences: Bumpers College provides life-changing opportunities to position and prepare graduates who will be leaders in the businesses associated with foods, family, the environment, agriculture, sustainability and human quality of life; and who will be first-choice candidates of employers looking for leaders, innovators, policy makers and entrepreneurs. The college is named for Dale Bumpers, former Arkansas governor and longtime U.S. senator who made the state prominent in national and international agriculture.

About the University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among only 2 percent of universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Arkansas among its top American public research universities. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio that promotes personal attention and close mentoring.