Doctoral students enrolled at the University of Tennessee and Penn State University will be able to further their education and their research as the latest recipients of The Musser International Turfgrass Foundation Award for the Excellence.
Devon Carroll, right, is a doctoral candidate at the University of Tennessee. She earned a bachelor's degree in turfgrass science and a master's in agronomy at Penn State and a master's in agricultural leadership, education and communications from Tennessee.
She wrote her dissertation on the life cycle of the Poa annua and plans to pursue a career in herbicide development.
Travis Russell, right, earned bachelor's and master's degrees in turfgrass science from the University of Arkansas and is pursuing a doctorate degree in turfgrass pathology from Penn State. There, his work will focus on turfgrass diseases and their control. His research spans different aspects of turfgrass science, such as cultural management, weed science and pathology.
Russell's research has focused on Pythium patch in annual bluegrass. He plans to begin a career as a technical service representative for Bayer Canada.
The foundation presents the Award of Excellence and a financial gift to doctoral candidates who have demonstrated overall excellence throughout their doctoral program. This year's recipients each receive $40,000 to put toward their research and education.
Named for the late H. Burton Musser, professor emeritus of agronomy at Penn State, The Musser International Turfgrass Foundation was organized to promote turfgrass as a profession, recognize the contributions of its namesake and promote learning at all levels in the turfgrass industry.