Posted: August 1, 2018
Travis Russell recently joined the Turfgrass Management Lab where he will complete his Ph.D. on disease management.
Travis Russell
Ph.D. Student, Agronomy
Travis is a first year Ph.D. student from Duncanville, Texas. He completed his M.S. and B.S. degrees at the University of Arkansas. For his Master of Science thesis research, Travis investigated precise light requirements of creeping bentgrass putting greens and other warm-season turfgrasses utilized on golf courses in Arkansas and throughout the Transition Zone.
In addition, Travis has turfgrass industry experience working on the golf course. He was an assistant golf course superintendent at Dallas National Golf Club where he also completed internships during undergraduate studies. Travis gained experience as a student intern at Pinehurst No. 2 when the course hosted the U.S. Open and Women's U.S. Open in 2014.
Travis' Ph.D. research will focus on turfgrass pathology and implementing technologies to assess turfgrass diseases.
Education:
M.S. - Horticulture, University of Arkansas, 2018.
B.S. - Horticulture, Landscape, and Turf Sciences, University of Arkansas, 2015.
Honors and Awards:
Crop Science Society of America C-5 Division Student Paper Contest (Oral) - 1st Place, 2017.
Crop Science Society of America C-5 Division Student Paper Contest (Poster) - 1st Place, 2017.
Professional Background:
Ph.D. Graduate Research Assistant, The Pennsylvania State University, 2018-Present.
M.S. Graduate Research Assistant, University of Arkansas, 2016-2018.
Assistant Superintendent, Dallas National Golf Club, Dallas, TX, 2015.
Turfgrass Science Intern, Pinehurst No. 2, Pinehurst, NC, Summer 2014.
Turfgrass Science Intern, Dallas National Golf Club, Dallas, TX, Summer 2011 and 2012.
