COLUMBUS, OH—Organizers of the 2008 Ohio Turfgrass Conference & Show, December 8-11, Columbus, OH are pleased to announce Dr. Al Turgeon, Penn State University, as this year’s Keynote Speaker. His speech is scheduled for 3:00 pm, Tuesday, December 9 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center.
Turgeon’s presentation “Implications of Global Warming: Cultural Relief and Future Management Strategies” will review current projections of global warming, explain the scientific basis for these projections, and propose management strategies for developing and maintaining golf, sports, and lawn turfs, given the climatic changes that may occur over time.
Dr. Turgeon completed his B.S. degree at Rutgers University in 1965. After a three-year tour in the U.S. Army, he pursued graduate study at Michigan State University where he completed his Ph.D. degree in 1971. He then served as assistant–then associate–professor of turfgrass management at the University of Illinois from 1971-79. He moved to Texas A&M University where he served as resident director of research at the Dallas Research and Extension Center from 1980 to 1983. His next assignment was as vice president for research and technical services with the Tru-Green Corporation in East Lansing, Michigan, from 1983-86. Dr. Turgeon came to Penn State in 1986 as head of the Agronomy Department and served in that position until 1994, when he moved into an academic position in the department to pursue his TURFGRASS interests full-time. He subsequently served as “interim” head of the department in 2001 for 14 months until a new head was hired. He currently coordinates all resident undergraduate and online instructional programs in turfgrass science and management at Penn State.
Dr. Turgeon’s list of awards and accomplishments include:
Outstanding Achievement Award, Researcher/Educator Category, Weeds, Trees and Turf Magazine, 1977
Administrative Staff Award, Tru-Green Corporation, 1984
Elected to Fellow in the Crop Science Society of America, 1988
Distinguished Service Award from the Illinois Turfgrass Foundation, 1988
Elected to Fellow in the American Society of Agronomy, 1989.
Presidential Award from the Nebraska Turfgrass Foundation, 1992
Outstanding Leadership Award from the American Distance Education Consortium, 1997
Outstanding Teaching Award from the Northeast Branch of the American Society of Agronomy, 1998.
National ADEC Award for Excellence in Distance Education, 2000
Exemplary WebCT Course Award, 2000.
Fred V. Grau Turfgrass Science Award, Crop Science Society of America, 2002
Outstanding Teaching Award, Penn State World Campus, 2002.
ADEC Distance Education Award for Outstanding Educational Program, 2004.
Harbaugh Scholar, College of Agricultural Sciences, Penn State University, 2006 and 2007.
Most Outstanding Online Teaching & Learning Program, Excellence in Online Teaching & Learning Awards Program, Sloan Consortium, 2006.
Dr. Turgeon is primarily involved in case-based teaching, the development and evaluation of web-based educational resources, and research in turfgrass morphogenesis and management systems. He is considered one of the top world leaders in turfgrass science, outreach education, and research.
The Ohio Turfgrass Conference & Show is celebrating its 42nd year as the largest regional turfgrass event in the country. More than 200 leading turfgrass suppliers will display the latest products and services available in turfgrass management. In addition to the three-day exhibition will be 100+ hours of educational programming covering a broad spectrum of turf management topics. More than 3500 turfgrass management professionals are expected to attend.