Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/110267
TL1303-proof 2/14/13 9:10 AM Page 1 2013 WCTA CONFERENCE AND TRADE SHOW SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES Dr. Joe Schwarcz - Office of Science and Society, McGill University Joe Schwarcz is the Director of McGill University's Office for Science and Society and teaches a variety of courses in McGill's Chemistry Department and in the Faculty of Medicine with emphasis on health issues, including aspects of "Alternative Medicine". He is well known for his informative and entertaining public lectures on topics ranging from the chemistry of love to the science of aging. Using stage magic to make scientific points is one of his specialties. Professor Schwarcz has received numerous awards for teaching chemistry and for interpreting science for the public. Among these are the Royal Society of Canada's McNeil Award and the American Chemical Society's prestigious Grady-Stack Award. Previous winners of the Grady-Stack have included famed science writer Isaac Asimov, New York Times columnist Walter Sullivan and Don Herbert of TV's "Mr. Wizard" fame. Dr. Schwarcz is the only nonAmerican ever to be honored with this prize. His latest awards include the Royal Canadian Institute's Sandford Fleming Medal, the Society of Chemical Industry's Purvis Award and the Chemical Institute of Canada's Montreal Medal. "Dr. Joe" has appeared hundreds of times on the Canadian Discovery Channel, TV Ontario, Global Television, CBC-TV, CTV-TV and various radio stations. He hosts the "Dr. Joe Show" on Montreal's CJAD every Sunday from 3-4 PM. He also hosted "Science To Go," a series on the Discovery Channel that focused on common foods. Dr. Schwarcz writes a weekly newspaper column in the Montreal Gazette entitled "The Right Chemistry" as well as a monthly column in Canadian Chemical News. He was the chief consultant on the Reader's Digest best sellers "Foods That Harm, Foods That Heal" and "The Healing Power of Vitamins, Minerals and Herbs" and contributed the chemistry chapter to the best-selling "Mental Floss." His books "Radar, Hula Hoops and Playful Pigs," "The Genie in the Bottle," "That's The Way The Cookie Crumbles," "Dr. Joe and What You Didn't Know," "The Fly in the Ointment," "Let Them Eat Flax," "Brain Fuel," "An Apple A Day," "Science, Sense and Nonsense," "Dr. Joe's Brain Sparks" and is well-respected among the membership, especially in the Northwest," said GCSAA President Sandy Queen, CGCS. "He has been a leader in the profession, most notably in his environmental stewardship efforts, and has been an extremely engaged GCSAA member. He will certainly be a valuable resource for the Northwest region of the country." Dale Miller - Redox Turf Tom Serensits - Penn State University Tom Serensits is the Manager of Penn State's Center for Sports Surface Research where he oversees research on natural and synthetic sports turf. After receiving a Bachelor's Degree in Turfgrass Science from Penn State in 2001, Tom spent three years working as the Assistant Sportsfield Manager for the Philadelphia Eagles. He also worked at Virginia Tech as a research technician focusing on weed control. Tom has a Master's Degree from Penn State and is currently working on a Ph.D. Degree. David Phipps – Golf Course Superintendents Association of America David Phipps is a 12year GCSAA Class A member and has more than 20 years of experience in golf course management. He was an assistant superintendent at The Oregon Golf Club in West Linn, Ore., from 1990-2000 and most recently was the construction manager and superintendent at Stone Creek Golf Club in Oregon City, Ore. Phipps has been active in serving on the national and chapter level. He participated in multiple GCSAA committees and was the Oregon GCSA chapter president in 2007. His efforts have earned him numerous honors and awards, including the Oregon GCSA's Richard Malpass Distinguished Service Award in 2000 and 2007, the Oregon Golf Association's Superintendent of the Year Award in 2009, the OGCSA's Michael S. Hindahl Environmental Stewardship Award of Excellence in 2011, and GCSAA's President's Award for Environmental Stewardship presented earlier this year at the GCSAA Education Conference in Las Vegas. Phipps is a fivetime winner of the GCSAA/Golf Digest's Environmental Leaders in Golf Award. In April of 2012, David was selected as the GCSAA field staff representative for the Northwest (Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, Colorado). "David is a great addition to the GCSAA team and With 30+ years of experience in the turfgrass industry, Dale is currently the National Turf Agronomist for Redox Chemical Inc. covering courses in the US into Europe and China. He graduated from Texas A&M in 1987 with a degree in Agronomy, Turfgrass Science minor while Dr. James Beard was still teaching and was the top turf student. Dale went on to build and manage golf courses in Texas, Florida, North Carolina and Nevada as a superintendent/Director of Agronomy. Career highlights include: • Barton Creek, 72 holes. Two Tom Fazio, one Palmer, one Crenshaw course. Ranked number 1, 7, 9, in the state. • National Environmental Award winner twice at Barton Creek, with 7 regional awards. • Deer Creek, Marsh Creek and PGA Golf Club in Florida. McCumber, Tom Fazio, George Fazio and Pete Dye courses. • Treyburn in North Carolina. Tom Fazio course. • Bali Hai, Stallion Mountain, Desert Pines, Royal Links in Nevada. Brian Curley, Dye courses. Dale also severed as the Director of Agronomy and VP of Agronomy for American Golf, Evergreen Alliance with responsibility throughout the US before moving to Redox. Paul Tukey - Safelawns An international leader of the green movement, Mr. Tukey is an awardwinning journalist, author, filmmaker, TV host, activist and public speaker, who is widely recognized as North America's leading advocate for landscape sustainability and toxic pesticide reduction strategies. Winner of the prestigious Horticultural Communicator of the Year Award from the American Horticultural Society, the former HGTV host is lauded for his ability to turn a mundane subject — landscape care — into a rousing public discourse. He achieved world-wide acclaim in 2009 with the release of the Emmy nominated film A Chemical Reaction, about the first community in Canada to ban synthetic chemical pesticides. Tukey has been featured in thousands of media outlets from Good Morning America in the U.S., to Continued On Next Page WESTERN CANADA TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION 37 2013 WCTA CONFERENCE AND TRADE SHOW PROGRAM 30 hours of seminars, not including the pre-cons, will be offered at the 2013 WCTA Conference and Trade Show taking place March 3-5 in Penticton, BC. his latest, "Dr. Joe's Health Lab" have all been best sellers. The books have been translated into eleven languages and are sold around the world. In November of 2011 the McGill Office for Science and Society under Dr. Schwarcz's directorship received the largest gift ever in Canadian history ($5.5 million) from philanthropist Lorne Trottier to further its work in promoting scientific education and critical thinking.