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Alabama Turfgrass Association – Beth Guertal, Ph.D. Accepts Job with New Challenges and Opportunities, but Misses her Students and Colleagues at Auburn University
ALABAMA TURF TIMES
Having worked at Auburn University (AU) for 30 years and nearing retirement, an opportunity was presented to Dr. Beth Guertal to get involved in significant international work. So, she retired from AU in 2022 a little earlier than expected to take advantage of this exciting possibility. She accepted a post with Kansas State University as Program Director for the Center of Excellence on Mitigation, Adaptation, and Resilience to Climate Change in Haiti. Currently, Dr. Guertal is responsible for managing the center’s day-to-day operations and serving as a leader in the national education, research and outreach community. While it promises to be challenging and exciting, Dr. Guertal says she certainly misses her Auburn colleagues.
She has long been a tour de force at Auburn University, as well as in the turfgrass industry in the Southeast. She received Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Agronomy from THE Ohio State University and went on to earn a PhD from Oklahoma State University. With a PhD in Soil Fertility, Beth was hired in 1993 by Auburn University’s School of Agriculture, Department of Agronomy and Soils (today, Department of Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences), to do research and teach in that area, with a focus on Vegetable Crop production.
Dr. Guertal stayed in that position until 1998, when AU offered faculty with 25 plus years at the University generous retirement packages. “Pretty much the entire turfgrass team at AU (Drs. Coleman Ward and Ray Dickens) took the retirement offers, leaving AU turfgrass department with no one around (except, of course, the fabulous Dr. Pat Cobb). My department head came down the hall to my office and announced that Dr. Harold Walker would be moving to turfgrass weed control, and that I would take over general turfgrass research, including teaching the courses. I had a LOT to learn, and Dr. Walker really gave me a ton of help.” Beth believes the secret to success is to “show up early to every job and meeting; always give your best; and admit if you have no idea what you are doing. Generally, people love to provide advice and help.” Besides Dr. Walker doing just that, others also helped her to make a success in her new position like her Department Head, Dr. Joe Touchton and fellow professor, Dr. David Teem. “Joe was the best department head, as he was fair to everyone, had an amazing grasp of the financial budgets and knew everybody in the College. More importantly, he knew our stakeholders, and the agricultural power brokers in the state.”
Over time, her position within the turf program grew and allowed for significant opportunities for travel and engagement with a wide range of people across the state, nation, and world. “It has helped me so much to grow as a person.” However, the least fulfilling aspect of her job, Beth found to be getting funding for her programs. Funding was always needed to pay for her own salary, as well as the technicians’ salary, costs of running the turfgrass unit, and salaries for graduate students. Over the years, Dr. Guertal proved to be a stalwart researcher and teacher. Her hard work and dedication were rewarded when in 2017, she was named the Auburn University College of Agriculture’s Rowe Endowed Professor. The endowed professorship was established by 1978 Auburn alumni Mike and Leann Rowe to support tenured faculty who have demonstrated strong commitment to students, teaching, research and service.
At Auburn University Beth says she “loved, loved, loved teaching. Really, any kind of teaching. Students are simply the best, even when they are busily screwing something up. Their enthusiasm, love of new things and general upbeat demeanor made every day different and fun. I really do miss the students, in my new job.” The current Alabama Turfgrass Association President,
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ALABAMA TURF TIMES
Having worked at Auburn University (AU) for 30 years and nearing retirement, an opportunity was presented to Dr. Beth Guertal to get involved in significant international work. So, she retired from AU in 2022 a little earlier than expected to take advantage of this exciting possibility. She accepted a post with Kansas State University as Program Director for the Center of Excellence on Mitigation, Adaptation, and Resilience to Climate Change in Haiti. Currently, Dr. Guertal is responsible for managing the center’s day-to-day operations and serving as a leader in the national education, research and outreach community. While it promises to be challenging and exciting, Dr. Guertal says she certainly misses her Auburn colleagues.
She has long been a tour de force at Auburn University, as well as in the turfgrass industry in the Southeast. She received Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Agronomy from THE Ohio State University and went on to earn a PhD from Oklahoma State University. With a PhD in Soil Fertility, Beth was hired in 1993 by Auburn University’s School of Agriculture, Department of Agronomy and Soils (today, Department of Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences), to do research and teach in that area, with a focus on Vegetable Crop production.
Dr. Guertal stayed in that position until 1998, when AU offered faculty with 25 plus years at the University generous retirement packages. “Pretty much the entire turfgrass team at AU (Drs. Coleman Ward and Ray Dickens) took the retirement offers, leaving AU turfgrass department with no one around (except, of course, the fabulous Dr. Pat Cobb). My department head came down the hall to my office and announced that Dr. Harold Walker would be moving to turfgrass weed control, and that I would take over general turfgrass research, including teaching the courses. I had a LOT to learn, and Dr. Walker really gave me a ton of help.” Beth believes the secret to success is to “show up early to every job and meeting; always give your best; and admit if you have no idea what you are doing. Generally, people love to provide advice and help.” Besides Dr. Walker doing just that, others also helped her to make a success in her new position like her Department Head, Dr. Joe Touchton and fellow professor, Dr. David Teem. “Joe was the best department head, as he was fair to everyone, had an amazing grasp of the financial budgets and knew everybody in the College. More importantly, he knew our stakeholders, and the agricultural power brokers in the state.”
Over time, her position within the turf program grew and allowed for significant opportunities for travel and engagement with a wide range of people across the state, nation, and world. “It has helped me so much to grow as a person.” However, the least fulfilling aspect of her job, Beth found to be getting funding for her programs. Funding was always needed to pay for her own salary, as well as the technicians’ salary, costs of running the turfgrass unit, and salaries for graduate students. Over the years, Dr. Guertal proved to be a stalwart researcher and teacher. Her hard work and dedication were rewarded when in 2017, she was named the Auburn University College of Agriculture’s Rowe Endowed Professor. The endowed professorship was established by 1978 Auburn alumni Mike and Leann Rowe to support tenured faculty who have demonstrated strong commitment to students, teaching, research and service.
At Auburn University Beth says she “loved, loved, loved teaching. Really, any kind of teaching. Students are simply the best, even when they are busily screwing something up. Their enthusiasm, love of new things and general upbeat demeanor made every day different and fun. I really do miss the students, in my new job.” The current Alabama Turfgrass Association President,