Faculty

One of the primary reasons Penn State is recognized around the globe as a distinguished university is the sterling caliber of its faculty. As a World Campus student, you will have the opportunity to learn from the same instructors who teach traditional face-to-face classes on Penn State's twenty-four campuses across Pennsylvania.

Penn State's turfgrass science program is widely regarded as the foremost program of its kind in the world. What sets us apart from others? Penn State expertise. The World Campus bachelor of science degree in turfgrass science was developed and is taught by faculty from the Plant Science, Entomology, and Plant Pathology departments in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences. Our distinguished faculty members are experts in their respective disciplines and are computer-savvy instructors. They understand the unique demands of delivering academic content via the World Wide Web and other information technologies, and they are intimately involved in the teaching process.

Jeff Borger

M.S., Agronomy, Penn State

B.S., Turfgrass Science, Penn State

Jeff Borger, assistant teaching professor of turfgrass weed management, has been with Penn State for more than 25 years. He oversees a turfgrass field research program that encompasses the evaluations of grassy and broadleaf weed control and plant growth regulators. He teaches numerous courses in both the resident and Penn State World Campus four-year and two-year turfgrass programs.

Michael Fidanza

Ph.D., Agronomy (Plant Disease Epidemiology), University of Maryland

M.S., Agronomy, Penn State

B.S., Agricultural Science, Penn State

Dr. Michael Fidanza is a professor of plant and soil sciences at Penn State Berks. His research and teaching focus is turfgrass ecology, the translational evaluation and exploration of plant health products (fungicides, herbicides, and plant growth regulators), soil surfactants, seed technology, bio stimulants, turfgrass physiology, and cultural practices in turfgrass ecosystems, and the biology and ecology of fairy ring disease in turf. He is the director of Penn State's Center for the Agricultural Sciences and a Sustainable Environment, and he is a Fellow in the American Society of Agronomy.

David Huff

Ph.D., Genetics, University of California, Davis

M.S., Genetics, University of California, Davis

B.S., Crop and Soils Sciences, Michigan State University

Dr. David R. Huff is a research scientist who performs basic and applied genetics on a wide range of grass species, including some native to North America. In the area of crop improvement, his program focuses on enhancing turf quality, seed yield, persistence, disease resistance, and tolerance to salinity and extreme temperatures (both heat and cold). He also performs a range of genomic investigations on the reproductive biology of these grasses, including such systems as apomixis, dioecy, and fungal-induced hermaphroditism.

Brad Jakubowski

Ph.D., Agronomy, Penn State, in progress

M.S., Soil Science, Colorado State University

B.S., Comprehensive Environmental Geography, University of Nebraska

A.A.S., Printing Technology and Industry, Central Community College

Brad Jakubowski is an instructor of golf course irrigation and drainage, landscape irrigation and water management, and turfgrass management. He is experienced in water management, irrigation management, turfgrass management and soil. As a Ph.D. candidate, he is studying impact attenuation on natural and synthetic athletic turfgrass fields.

Peter Landschoot

Ph.D., Plant Pathology, University of Rhode Island

M.S., Agronomy, Penn State

B.S., Agronomy, Penn State

Dr. Peter Landschoot's primary job responsibility involves turfgrass extension and outreach in Pennsylvania. His research interests include disease and weed management, soil improvement, turfgrass variety evaluation, and soil fertility. Dr. Landschoot teaches Case Studies in Turfgrass Management in the resident and the World Campus programs at Penn State.

Benjamin McGraw

Ph.D., Entomology, Rutgers University

M.S., Entomology, University of Massachusetts Amherst

B.S., Animal Science, University of Maine

Dr. Benjamin McGraw's main teaching foci at Penn State are general turfgrass management (TURF 235, 496a) and entomology courses (ENT 317, 952a). His research program focuses on understanding the biology and ecology of turfgrass insect populations to improve current management practices and develop novel, more sustainable management and monitoring programs.

Andrew McNitt

Ph.D., Soil Science, Penn State

M.S., Agronomy, Penn State

B.S., Horticulture, Penn State

Dr. Andrew McNitt is the director of Penn State's Center for Sports Surface Research (ssrc.psu.edu), where he conducts research relating to athletic field surface characterization and golf green construction and maintenance. Currently the technical adviser to the NFL Groundskeepers Organization, he oversees the NFL field certification and serves on several committees at the League level.

Max Schlossberg

Ph.D., Agronomy, University of Georgia

M.S., Agronomy, University of Georgia

B.S., Agronomy, Texas A&M University

Dr. Max Schlossberg's comprehensive instructional approach supports effective management of turfgrass in every hemisphere. His primary research focuses on developing fertilizer programs to optimize resilience, playability, and nutrient use efficiency of turfgrass systems. His laboratory team has recently identified cultural methods for rapid soil pH optimization of turfgrass root zones, enhanced efficiency mechanisms of N fertilizers, factor controlling soil water repellency development, and topographic dependence of soils fertility.

Wakar Uddin

Ph.D., Plant Pathology, University of Georgia

Dr. Wakar Uddin teaches resident and online courses tailored to fit the specific needs of the students in their profession. The classes provide insights to biology of pathogens, epidemiology, and integrated management practices. The graduate course provides insights to research publications relevant to their professional career. In research, development of innovative approaches to disease management through integration of host defense response elicitors, population biology, and detection and quantification of inoculum are devised as important components of sustainable disease management strategies.