James B. Beard

James B. Beard (September 24, 1935 – May 14, 2018) was an American agronomist.

Born in Piqua, Ohio to James Hart and Margaret Bashore Beard, James B Beard was raised in Bradford, Ohio. He attended Ohio State University, graduating with a in Agronomy in 1957 and completed graduate education at Purdue University.[1][2] He began teaching at Michigan State University in 1961, and joined the Texas A&M University faculty in 1975.[2] Over the course of his career, Beard was named a fellow of the Crop Science Society of America, American Society of Agronomy and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.[3] He retired in 1992,[2] and left his writings to Michigan State's Turfgrass Information Center in 2003.[4] The next year, Purdue granted Beard an honorary doctorate in agriculture.[5] In 2009, Beard received the Veitch Memorial Medal awarded by the Royal Horticultural Society,[1] followed by the Crop Science Society of America Presidential Award in 2014.[6] Beard died in Bryan, Texas, on May 14, 2018, aged 82.[1]

References

1. "Dr. James B Beard". The Daily Advocate. May 17, 2018. Archived from the original on May 31, 2018. Retrieved June 1, 2018.
2. Richman, Howard (May 15, 2018). "Golf industry mourns James B. Beard, Ph.D." Golf Course Superintendents Association of America. Retrieved June 1, 2018.
3. Beard's Turfgrass Encyclopedia for Golf Courses, Grounds, Lawns, Sports Fields. Michigan State University Press. August 31, 2004. ISBN 9780870137044.
4. "The James B Beard Turfgrass Library Collection". Michigan State University. Retrieved June 1, 2018.
5. "2004 Honorary Degree: James B Beard Doctor Of Agriculture". Purdue University. 2004. Retrieved June 1, 2018.
6. Martin, Dawn (October 8, 2014). "James B Beard, World's Leading Authority on Turfgrass, to Receive CSSA Presidential Award". Michigan State University Press. Retrieved June 1, 2018.