Micah Woods, Ph.D. to Take the Helm at PACE Turf

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SAN DIEGO, CA—June 28, 2022:

Founders of PACE Turf, Drs. Larry Stowell and Wendy Gelernter, announce its acquisition by Dr. Micah Woods, President and Chief Scientist of the Asian Turfgrass Center (ATC). Dr. Woods will become director of the award-winning, science-based online turfgrass management information service, and Drs. Stowell and Gelernter will become visiting research directors. Dr. Woods will continue to oversee ATC research and education programs as he expands PACE Turf to meet the needs of today’s turfgrass management community, which includes golf course superintendents, sports turf managers, commercial and residential landscape managers worldwide.

The PACE Turf subscription information service delivers online, premier, science-based solutions to turf management problems using site-specific climate, weather and pest forecasting systems, breaking research news, information and expert advice that is customized for each PACE Turf member location. The website also hosts an extensive collection of turf management tools and guides, including the widely used Climate Appraisal form, that is available free of charge as a public service. The service debuted in 1992 with fax-based delivery, and as the technology became available, expanded to the online membership service available today, supporting turf managers around the world. 

Dr. Woods said, "ATC has been a long-time collaborator with PACE Turf. Together we've introduced tools, such as the Minimum Levels for Sustainable Nutrition (MLSN) guidelines that have been adopted worldwide and helped turf managers reduce inputs while maintaining high quality turf. I'm immensely proud of these achievements and look forward to continuing PACE Turf's long tradition of delivering expert and practical turf management guidance." 

Drs. Stowell and Gelernter have overseen PACE Turf since its inception. Dr. Gelernter said, “We can't imagine anyone better suited than Micah to take on PACE Turf's mission." 

Dr. Woods established ATC in 2006 after working as a golf course superintendent in China and Japan and upon completion of graduate studies at Cornell University. Since then, his research and educational activities have led to the international recognition of ATC. His work as a consultant, researcher and speaker has taken him to more than 30 countries on five continents. Through the ATC, he provides turfgrass advisory and soil testing services to clients around the world. Since 2009, he has also been an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of Tennessee. 

"We know that Micah will maintain the vast store of information already available on the PACE Turf website,” Dr. Stowell said. “Plus he will continue to raise the level of practical turf management guidance as new research and findings develop in turf science. His work with ATC is truly synergistic with PACE Turf, and we know that PACE Turf members will reap the benefits of that." 

Memberships for the PACE Turf information service are available for $275 annually. Members receive their site-specific climate, weather and pest forecasting services via email or direct access to the website. At any time, members can visit the PACE Turf website to view the pest and disease photo gallery, find management solutions via the website’s extensive reference collection and review timely updates from the PACE Turf research staff. Subscribe to PACE Turf’s online information service at https://paceturf.org/members/signup. 

For more information on Dr. Woods’ work at PACE Turf and ATC, visit www.paceturf.org and www.asianturfgrass.com. Find us on Twitter as @asianturfgrass and @paceturf. Email Dr. Woods at micah@asianturfgrass.com or woods@paceturf.org. 

The Asian Turfgrass Center works with turf managers globally to provide expert and unbiased advice on how to best obtain desired turfgrass conditions. Its website at www.asianturfgrass.com/ contains information that is used by turfgrass managers around the world. 

PACE Turf is a membership organization that provides breaking research news, information and expert advice on its website at www.paceturf.org The mission of PACE Turf is to generate and share independent and objective agronomic information for turf professionals, so they may develop management programs that are effective, practical and scientifically sound.