Erick Begitschke is involved in a host of research projects at the University of Georgia, where he is busy working toward a doctorate degree.
His research includes, but is not limited to, work related to wear tolerance and the effects of weeds on turfgrass. As a result of his work, Begitschke (right) has been named the recipient of the Musser International Turfgrass Foundation 2025 Award of Excellence.
The award is given to outstanding doctoral candidates who, in the final phase of their graduate studies, demonstrated overall excellence throughout their turfgrass research.
Criteria on which candidates are judged include:
- Graduate work.
- Academic record.
- Dissertation.
- Publications.
- Leadership.
- Extracurricular activities.
"I am deeply humbled and honored to receive the Musser Award of Excellence," Begitschke said. "I greatly respect the previous winners and their remarkable contributions to the turfgrass industry. I will strive to uphold the legacy of this Award by continuing to serve the industry with pride throughout my career."
Begitschke earned a bachelor's degree in turfgrass management from the University of Georgia, and master's degree in turfgrass weed science from Mississippi State University under Jay McCurdy, Ph.D. His research at Mississippi State focused on utilizing preemergent herbicides in hybrid Bermudagrass sod production. Between his graduate and post-graduate work he worked for SePRO Corp. as a research associate at its Rocky Mount, North Carolina research facility.
He is currently finishing his doctoral work in crop and soil science with a concentration in turfgrass science from UGA under Gerald Henry, Ph.D.
As a graduate research assistant in Henry's lab, Begitschke's doctoral research is based on providing safe sports field playing surfaces that maximize athlete performance. This is accomplished through the use of wearable sensor technology that measures biomechanical movements to gauge the overall performance and safety of sports fields. The data will be used to evaluate how soil profile or surface canopy changes, such as excessive traffic/wear, weed pressure, soil moisture, etc., can alter the biomechanics of athletes and potentially lead to increased injury risk. His dissertation is titled "Evaluation of novel techniques to measure athletic field performance and player safety."
An additional aspect of his research involves using plant physiological responses to wear to determine traffic thresholds. This methodology can be integrated into turfgrass breeding programs to select genotypes that exhibit wear/traffic tolerance.
To date, awards have been granted to doctoral students from universities including Arizona, Auburn, Cornell, Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Carolina State, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Michigan State, Rutgers, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Virginia Tech.
His research also evaluates the physiological response of common turfgrass weeds to traffic and how weed presence influences athlete biomechanics to help justify the need for weed control, especially on lower-budget community-level athletic fields.
Begitschke has already published nine peer-reviewed research papers from his graduate and doctoral projects and has six more currently in draft or under review. He is an author of more than 30 scientific abstracts and has given approximately 40 research presentations nationally and internationally. He plans to dedicate his career to offering sustainable solutions to turfgrass managers through applied research.
"This accomplishment would not have been possible without the unwavering love and support of my wife, Madison, and the invaluable guidance and patience of Drs. Gerald Henry and Jay McCurdy," said Begitschke. "I want to thank all of them for their encouragement and belief in me."
To date, awards have been granted to doctoral students from universities including Arizona, Auburn, Cornell, Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Carolina State, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Michigan State, Rutgers, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Virginia Tech.
Named for former Penn State turfgrass breeder H. Burton Musser, the Musser International Turfgrass Foundation was organized for the following purposes:
- Promote and foster turfgrass as a learned profession.
- Recognize the name, teachings, and achievements of H.B. Musser, Professor Emeritus of Agronomy, a pioneer in the development, management and care of turfgrasses for recreation, commerce and aesthetic purposes, and to perpetuate these outstanding contributions with the H.B Musser Turfgrass Fellowship, thereby continuing his dedicated life to enhancing the lives of people all over the world through turfgrass.
- Initiate and maintain a fund, the proceeds from which will foster and support education and research in turfgrass development and turfgrass management.