The Bill Rose Foundation – formed in memory and honor of Bill Rose, the founder of Pure Seed, Roselawn and Pure-Seed Testing – is determined to continue innovation in the turfgrass industry through support of students and academic research programs across the United States. The Foundation recently announced its 2025 Travel Scholarship winners.
Juan Romero Cubas, Virginia Tech
Juan developed a passion for agriculture at an early age while growing up on his family’s coffee farm in Honduras. In 2023, he joined Askew’s lab at Virginia Tech, where his research focuses on innovative organic weed control strategies in turfgrass systems. His work investigates the efficacy and dose response of cutting-edge technologies, such as liquid nitrogen, diode lasers, and radiant heat, offering promising alternatives to traditional methods. This research marks the initial phase of an ambitious project that aims to integrate these innovations with robotics and artificial intelligence. With herbicide-resistant weeds on the rise, synthetic herbicide regulations tightening, and public demand for non-chemical solutions growing, Juan’s efforts are set to redefine sustainable weed management in turfgrass and beyond.
Clarissa Hunter Peterson, Brigham Young University
Clarissa is in her second year of grad school, and will be earning a master’s in Environmental Science from Brigham Young University. Her research focuses on hybrid bermudagrass dormancy management in a cool-season climate. She has given several tours and presentations to various groups in Utah, educating them on the advantages of hybrid bermudagrass.
Brynna Bruxellas, North Carolina State University
Brynna Bruxellas grew up in Falls City, Nebraska and earned her B.A. in Geography from Concordia University-Nebraska, with minors in Geospatial Technology and Environmental Studies. She graduated with honors while also playing for the women’s basketball team and serving as the Rotaract Club president. Her interests in agriculture and technology, paired with her passion for knowledge led her to N.C. State University in the summer of 2023. Brynna is currently pursuing her master’s in Crop Science and is conducting research on the use of artificial intelligence and drones to help measure and characterize turfgrass quality. At NC-State, Brynna has engaged with the academic community, presenting her research at conferences including the 2024 Carolinas Golf Superintendent Association Conference in Myrtle Beach, SC. Brynna will be graduating in the Spring of 2025 with a degree in Crop Science, a Data Science Certificate, and GIS Minor.
Saptarshi Mondal, University of Georgia, Griffin
“As a citizen of India, where agriculture is the backbone of the economy, I was inspired to pursue my academic career with a BS in Agriculture. Continuing to explore the mysterious riddles of crop improvement housed inside that double helical structure, DNA, I joined the MS program at the Punjab Agricultural University, renowned for pioneering work of the Green Revolution in India. Currently, I am pursuing my doctoral studies in understanding the genetics of salt tolerance in Zoysiagrass as a graduate student at the University of Georgia, Griffin campus under the supervision of Dr. David Jespersen. I have developed my research experience both in field and greenhouse based experiments. Broadly, my research skills include hybridization followed by selection of plants, screening of bi-parental populations and association panels for QTL mapping, Bulk-segregant RNA sequencing, transcriptomics, and metabolomics. I express my sincere thanks to the Bill Rose Foundation for this award!”
Parul Mandal, Kansas State University
Parul Mandal is a Ph.D. student in the Braun Turfgrass Lab at Kansas State University, where she is conducting research on evaluating the effects of seed coatings on the storage, germination, and establishment of cool-season turfgrass species. Her innovative work has the potential to revolutionize turfgrass management and seed storage technologies. Parul earned her M.Sc. in Agronomy and Crop Management from Punjab Agricultural University and her B.Sc. in Agriculture from CCS Haryana Agricultural University in India. Parul currently serves as a Graduate Teaching Assistant for the Basic Turfgrass Culture course, where she assists with lab sessions, delivers lectures, and guides students in turfgrass identification and management practices. She is actively engaged in leadership and professional development activities and has received several recognitions, including the prestigious 2024 Gerald O. Mott Award from the Crop Science Society of America, which honors outstanding graduate students in crop science.
Mariah Cashbaugh, Purdue University
Mariah Cashbaugh received their B.S. in Microbiology from West Liberty University before moving on to pursue a Ph.D. in Botany and Plant Pathology at Purdue University. Advised by Dr. Lee Miller, Mariah’s research focuses on the transmission of turfgrass pathogens or bioinoculants through the rhizosphere of golf course greens. Further, this research hopes to detect and monitor microbes quantitively throughout the season to inform application timing and improve fungicide efficacy.