New Hire Announcement – Welcome, Tyler Carr!

Sep. 23, 2022
Tyler Carr

We are pleased to announce that Tyler Carr will be joining HCS in January 2023 as an Assistant Professor in Turfgrass Extension & Research at The Ohio State University!

Department Chair, Dr. Doug Karcher, summed up our collective excitement best: “We are excited to have Mr. (soon to be Dr.) Carr join our faculty in January. His extensive relevant work-experience in professional sports turf & golf course management will help make meaningful connections with our turfgrass industry stakeholders & ensure that his Extension & research output is relevant & impactful. Tyler is also engaging & team-oriented, so we expect him to be a valuable contributor to our department, CFAES, Ohio State, & the Ohio Turfgrass Industry.”

Currently, Tyler is finishing up his Ph.D. at the University of Tennessee under the advisement of Dr. John Sorochan. His dissertation focuses on Methods to Hasten Zoysiagrass Establishment from Sprigs. Prior to pursuing his Ph.D., Tyler received his M.S. (Thesis: Determining Water Use in Various Home Lawn Systems - 2019) & B.S. (Turfgrass Science & Management - 2016) from the University of Arkansas. 

Tyler's experience is not limited solely to academics. He has spent time on the grounds crews for the Cincinnati Reds, Boston Red Sox & Chenal Country Club. Additionally, he is an active member of many local, national, & international turf associations, including the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, Sports Field Management AssociationCrop Science Society of America & the Tennessee Turfgrass Association.

Some core areas Tyler plans to focus on at Ohio State:

  • Leading an applied turfgrass research program
  • Developing & sharing dynamic educational content for golf course superintendents, sports turf managers, lawn care professionals, sod growers, & homeowners
  • Organizing impactful events for turf industry professionals such as the Ohio Turfgrass Foundation Conference, turfgrass field day & short-courses
  • Engaging & actively working with Ohio & national turf-related organizations

Whew, that's quite a broad range of high-impact responsibilities & we could not be happier to bring Tyler on board for this exciting task! Luckily, he had a minute to step away from the turf & sit down with us to give us a brief glimpse into his thoughts...


What are you most looking forward to about this next step in your career?

The Ohio turfgrass industry and OSU turfgrass program are both rich in history, and I am excited for the opportunity to help write the next chapter. 

During my first year with HCS, I look forward to meeting the turfgrass professionals in Ohio and tailoring extension programming and research trials to best address their needs.

What initially sparked your interest in turf?

My father was the high school baseball coach in White Hall, AR, a small town with only about 5,000 people. Like many other baseball coaches in small towns, he also assumed the role of groundskeeper for the baseball field. To spend time with him after school, on weekends, or during the summer, I would go to the baseball field with him while he performed maintenance practices. From there, I became enamored with working on baseball fields. My father would even tell you that I spent more time working on the field than playing on it during my final high school years.

What have been a few highlights of your time as a turf student + active member of the industry over the past few years?

The highlights of my time in the turf industry all involve interacting with new people. This occurred early on as I was fortunate to experience internships in Major League Baseball with the Boston Red Sox and Cincinnati Reds during my undergraduate career. My time in graduate school has allowed me to expand my network and interact with turfgrass managers and turfgrass scientists from across the world. 

What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working?

Away from work, I enjoy spending time with my dog, Brady. He is VERY active and ensures I exercise regularly. I also enjoy cooking, traveling, and attending sporting events.


We look forward to watching Tyler grow in this role & seeing the impact he & the entire Buckeye Turf Team will have in enriching our internationally recognized turf extension & research program. We hope you'll join us in welcoming him with open arms into the vibrant Ohio turfgrass community!

P.S.

You can always keep up with Tyler on Twitter - @TylerTalksTurf