Bayer scientist receives Musser International Turfgrass Foundation Award of Excellence

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. – Environmental Science, a business unit of the Crop Science division of Bayer, recognized four Bayer scientists who have received the prestigious Musser International Turfgrass Foundation Award of Excellence.

Patrick Burgess, Ph.D., the 2018 inductee, joins three Bayer scientists as fellow recipients of the Musser Award: James Rutledge, Ph.D., (2010), Robert Golembiewski, Ph.D., (1997) and Zachary Reicher, Ph.D. (1992). The annual award is presented to an outstanding doctoral student of turfgrass science who has made significant and innovative contributions to turfgrass science research. 

“To continue the legacy of Professor Musser alongside my peers and colleagues who have received this award in previous years is an honor,” said Dr. Burgess. “I’m grateful to continue my passion for turfgrass science at Bayer, where I’m focused on new product and concept development for our customers and the industry as a whole.”

 “We are honored to have four recipients of the prestigious Musser Award at Bayer,” said Mark Schneid, Head of Environmental Science North America. “Through their ongoing research and dedication to innovation, each of these individuals has played a critical role in on our mission of leveraging scientific innovation to build a better life, not only for our customers, but also for all enjoy and benefit from heathy green spaces.”

Since its inception in 1989, the Musser International Turfgrass Foundation Award of Excellence has recognized four current Bayer employees for their significant contributions through their doctoral research:

• Patrick Burgess, Ph.D., Northeast Field Development Representative, was honored in 2018 for his work at Rutgers University. His dissertation was focused on “Physiological and biochemical factors associated with drought tolerance of creeping bentgrass.” 
• James Rutledge, Ph.D., Product Development Manager for Herbicides, was honored in 2010 for his graduate work at Purdue University, while drafting his dissertation on “Physiology and growth response of roughstalk bluegrass and creeping bentgrass to high temperature stress.”
• Robert Golembiewski, Ph.D., Bayer Green Solutions Team Specialist, was honored in 1997 for his graduate work at Ohio State University. His dissertation was titled “Identification and characterization of creeping bentgrass using randomly amplified polymorphic DNA.”
• Zachary Reicher, Ph.D., Bayer Green Solutions Team Specialist, was honored in 1992 for his graduate work at Purdue University, and his dissertation focused on “Non-target effects of fungicides on creeping bentgrass.”