Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/50980
Abby McNeal Abby McNeal, CSFM is currently the Director of Turf Management for Wake Forest University Athletics. She has over 20 years of sports turf experience and has worked for AEG at TOYOAT Park, home of the Chicago Fire, for the Denver Broncos, at INVESCO FIELD at Mile High, and at the University of Colorado. Abby has been fortunate to participate in the maintenance of the game field and the practice facilities at four Super Bowls. Dr. Frank Wong Frank Wong, Ph.D., is a technical service specialist at Bayer Environmental Science and is based in the Washington, D.C. area. Prior to joining Bayer in 2011, Wong was an associate professor and extension specialist at the University of California, Riverside, where he had statewide turf pathology responsibilities since 2001. He earned a Dave Doherty David Doherty is the CEO and Founder of the "International Sports Turf Research Center, Inc." (ISTRC) and holds three patents on the ISTRC System which was developed to monitor the ageing process of both sand and soil based golf greens. Mr. Doherty is recognized by most in the industry to be the world's foremost authority on the Physical Properties of golf Dr. Alec Kowalewski Dr. Alec Kowalewski received his Masters and Ph.D. from Michigan State University. Findings from his Masters research provided stakeholders with an organic weed control method. His Ph.D. research has focused on improving native soil athletic field with drain tile installation and subsequent sand topdressing applications, providing a built-up sand-capped system over time. Kowalewski has also served as a resident consultant at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, and a Briggs and Stratton Yard Smarts expert. Dr. Kowalewski is currently an Assistant Professor of Abby holds a B.S. in Landscape Horticulture with an emphasis in Turfgrass Management from Colorado State University and is also a Certified Sports Field Manager. Involvement in local and national sports turf industry associations has been an essential part of Abby's career and she has been an active member of STMA since 1992, serving 8 years on the board of directors and is a Past President of the association. Abby will be delivering the keynote speech (8:00am, Tuesday January 24) for the Sportsfield Stream focusing on the good, B.S. in Biochemistry from the University of California, Davis and a Ph.D. in Plant Pathology from Cornell University. Wong's research interests revolve around turfgrass diseases and management and he currently has national responsibilities for technical service for Bayer's fungicide portfolio for turfgrass use. He has been an associate editor for Plant Disease and is currently editor in chief of Plant Disease Management Reports. In addition to participation in many state and regional turfgrass greens. The majority of the top 100 courses in all categories use the ISTRC System to monitor the effectiveness of their agronomic programs from year to year or from season to season. ISTRC has monitored the effects of aerification and other cultural practices of over 2,000 different golf courses and thousands of greens in less than 10 years. The patented ISTRC System of undisturbed core testing was developed by Mr. Doherty to provide turf grass professionals with: (a) accurate, cost effective data about root the fun and the learning moments experienced in over 20 years of work at various levels in the sportsturf industry. Along with the keynote speech, Abby will be delivering a presentation on "Maintaining Synthetic Turf" (9:30am, Tuesday January 24) where she will be offering tricks and tips on how artificial sports fields are maintained and the challenges associated with the newer generation of synthetic surfaces. Abby is excited to share experiences and knowledge with attendees. TL conferences around the United States, he has also lectured in Japan and Mexico on various topics related to turfgrass disease. He has been a GCSAA faculty member since 2003 and enjoys cooking, baking and bicycling in his free time. Dr Wong will be speaking (Sunday 9-3:30) in a pre-conference seminar "Diseases of Poa and Their Management". Dr. Wong will also be speaking about Waitea Patch. (Monday 3:00pm). TL zone conditions as they exist in the field, and (b) the effects of those conditions on turf quality and plant health. ISTRC's unique and proprietary data base contains thousands of test results. The knowledge derived from the database allows ISTRC to not only report the test data, but also interpret the data in "layman's language". David will be speaking (Sunday 9:00- 3:30) about "The Science of Physical Properties in the Real World…Beyond the Textbooks." TL Dr. Janice Elmhirst Environmental Horticulture at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton, GA. Dr. Kowalewski's presentation (Tuesday 12:30pm) is called "Spartan Sand Cap System For Sports Fields". TL Janice Elmhirst is a respected plant pathologist and head of Elmhirst Diagnostics and Research in Abbotsford, BC. Dr. Elmhist is a consultant to many of British Columbia's horticultural industries on the subjects of pest control and disease management in plants. She formerly served as plant diagnostics pathologist with the BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food. Dr. Elmhirst's 2.5 hour practical short- course presentation (Tuesday 12:30pm) will focus on diseases of landscape plants : how to detect, identify and treat disease problems early, by understanding the biology of the pathogens and the symptoms they produce. Attendees will have the privilege of learning from a professional diagnostician on how to identify and recognize plant diseases by early symptoms. Dr. Elmhirst's goal for the presentation is to provide diagnostic "tips" for horticulturalists , so they can correctly identify the problem and apply the best treatment at the best time. Successful disease control is best accomplished by correct, early diagnosis and early intervention or prevention. TL For More On The WCTA Show Speakers Visit www.wctaturf.com WESTERN CANADA TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION 33