David R. Huff, PhD

David Huff is associate professor of turfgrass breeding and genetics in the Department of Plant Science. His research includes using DNA markers, flow-cytometry, and cytology as aids to sort through genomes of different grasses during the breeding process. Dr. Huff is also interested in enhancing tolerance or resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses, which include wear tolerance, persistence, disease, and both extreme heat and cold for perennial grasses. He has been a professor at Penn State since 1994.

Andrew S. McNitt, PhD

Andrew McNitt is a professor of soil science/turfgrass and the director of academic programs for turfgrass science. Dr. McNitt is the director of the Center for Sports Surface Research. He has been with Penn State for more than 25 years. His research focuses on golf green and athletic field construction and maintenance. Dr. McNitt has developed a number of innovative methods to obtain sports turf playing–surface quality and has evaluated how various construction and maintenance practices affect the safety and playability of a turf surface. He has also served as a consultant on numerous golf course construction and renovation projects, and athletic fields construction and renovation, at all levels of play — from high school through professional sports complexes.

Maxim J. Schlossberg, PhD

Max Schlossberg is associate professor of turfgrass nutrition and soil fertility. He has researched the nutrition of both cool and warm season turfgrasses and his comprehensive instructional approach prepares students for careers anywhere in the world that a demand for turfgrass managers exists. Dr. Schlossberg is currently developing fertilizer programs to optimize Penn A4 creeping bentgrass quality and nutrient uptake efficiency, as well as cultural methods to rapidly neutralize exchangeable acidity in turfgrass systems afflicted by acid-soil complex. He is also interested in geospatial analysis of soil hydrophobicity development in Mid-Atlantic Psamments and golf course putting green sands.

Alfred J. Turgeon, PhD

A.J. Turgeon is emeritus professor of turfgrass management and retired director of World Campus turfgrass programs. His specific research interests encompass turfgrass morphogenesis, edaphology and management systems.

Additionally, Dr. Turgeon is interested in the development and assessment of computer-based instructional learning resources for use in resident and distance educational programs. He continues to teach online courses in the turfgrass management programs offered through the Penn State World Campus.

Thomas L. Watschke, PhD

Dr. Watschke, Professor Emeritus of Turfgrass Science, teaches courses in turfgrass management, pest management, weed control and management systems, growth requirements, fertilizer effectiveness and cultivar evaluation for turfgrass, the physiology and microclimate of turfgrass, contributions of turfgrass to environmental quality, nutrient and pesticide contents in runoff and percolating water from turfgrass sites, and factors of water infiltration and percolation in turfgrass areas.

Wakar Uddin, PhD

Dr. Wakar Uddin is associate professor of plant pathology in the Department of Plant Pathology. He is an expert on turfgrass diseases and control strategies. His research involves development of disease-predictive models that help turfgrass managers in their timing of fungicide applications for maximum effectiveness. Dr. Uddin also investigates the biology of pathogens that relate to virulence, and host-parasite interactions that identify the susceptibility of various turfgrass species to attack by pathogens.