Professional Experience

Honorary and Professional Societies

• Gamma Sigma Delta, National Agricultural Honor Society 
• Phi Kappa Phi, National Interdisciplinary Honor Society 
• Sigma Xi, National Scientific Research Society 
• American Society of Agronomy 
• American Society for Horticultural Science 
• The Crop Science Society of America 
• The International Turfgrass Society 
• The Canadian Golf Superintendents Association 
• The Carolinas Golf Course Superintendents Association 
• The Connecticut Golf Course Superintendents Association 
• The Golf Course Superintendents Association of America 
• The Triangle Turfgrass Association 
• The Turfgrass Council of North Carolina 
• Turfgrass Producers International

INVITED PRESENTATIONS

(The following is a partial list. Rich has participated as an invited speaker on programs in 35 states, 9 Canadian provinces, Australia, Japan, and New Zealand)

Invited International Presentations

• The 55th Canadian National Turfgrass Conference. Calgary, Alberta. 2 & 3 March, 2003. "Superintendent Research: Developing Your Own Product Evaluation Program", "Building a Better Soil for Microbial Activity".
• The Australian Golf Course Superintendents National Conference. Melbourne, Australia. 5 and 8 June 2000. "Managing the Biology of the Rootzone Environment", "Minimising Soil Degradation: Avoiding Damage to Beneficial Organisms. 
• The Atlantic Canada Golf Course Superintendents Conference. Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada. 30 September 2000. "Maintaining Biological Activity in Turfgrass Soils. 
• Ontario Turfgrass Symposium. Toronto, Canada. 6 January 1999. "Humic substances and their potential for improving turfgrass growth". 7 January. " Soil Biology and its Importance for Turfgrass Health" (a 3-hr seminar). 
• The Toyo Green Company, Ltd. Tokyo, Japan. Invited Seminar Speaker. I gave field and classroom seminars over a seven-day period. 17-21 November 1997. 
• The New Zealand Sports Turf Institute. Christchurch, NZ. "Developing an On-Site Product Evaluation Program for the Turf Industry". (17 July 1997) 
• The New Zealand Sports Turf Institute. Palmerston North, NZ "Pesticide Losses via Volatility and Dislodgeable Foliar Residues". (13 July 1997) 
• The Prairie Turfgrass Conference. Winnipeg, Manitoba "Recent Developments in Putting Green Management" ( A day-long Seminar), "Superintendent Research: Doing Your Own Product Evaluation." (26 & 27 November 1995) 
• The 44th Canadian National Turfgrass Conference. Halifax, Nova Scotia. "New Developments in Creeping Bentgrass Cultivars". (1 December 1992)
• The Atlantic Canada Golf Course Conference. Cavendish, Prince Edward Island. "Biological Pest Control for Golf Courses", "Are Golf Courses Threatening Groundwater"? (2 & 3 October 1989) 
• The 41st Canadian National Turfgrass Conference. Vancouver, British Columbia "Potential Movement of Turfgrass Pesticides from the Golf Course". (14 March 1989) 
• The 39th Canadian National Turfgrass Convention. St. John, New Brunswick (11 March 1987) "The Turfgrass Pesticide Controversy". 
• The Prairie Turfgrass Conference. Regina, Saskatchewan (4 March 1981) "Developing a Successful Sand Topdressing Program for Your Golf Course".

Research Seminar Presentations

• American Chemical Society Annual Meeting. Boston, MA (8-26-98). "Determining volatile and dislodgeable residues from pesticide treated turfgrass". (Invited Symposium Presentation) 
• American Society of Agronomy. Seattle, WA (11-15-94). "Assessing atmospheric losses of pesticides after application to a golf course fairway." (Invited Symposium Presentation) 
• 7th International Turfgrass Research Conference. Palm Beach, FL (7-23-93). "Volatilization as an avenue for pesticide dissipation." (Invited Symposium Presentation).
• Plant and Soil Sciences Departmental Seminar. Amherst, MA (2-18-93). "Evaluating Volatile Pesticide Loss Following Application to Turfgrass". 
• American Society of Agronomy Northeast Branch Meetings. Storrs, CT (6-30-92). "Turfgrass research contributions toward improved biological pest control and enhanced resource conservation." (Invited Symposium Presentation). 
• Massachusetts Water Resources Authority Seminar Series. Charlestown, MA (5-15-92). "Sludge Research Update: Utilizing Pellets as a Fertilizer for Turf". 
• Plant and Soil Sciences Departmental Seminar. Amherst, MA (4-1-92). "Progress in Evaluating Pelletized Sewage Sludge for Use on Turfgrass". 
• First International Symposium on the Impact of Pesticides, Industrial and Consumer Chemicals on the Near Environment. Orlando, FL (2-11-88). Determining volatility of chlorothalonil and pendimethalin from a Kentucky bluegrass lawn." 
• American Chemical Society Annual Meeting. Symposium on New Directions in Urban Integrated Pest Management. New Orleans, LA (9-2-87). "Developing a working IPM program." (Invited Symposium Presentation). 
• University of Rhode Island, Dept. of Plant Science Seminar Series. Kingston, RI (3-18-86). "Effects of chemical seedhead suppression on the physiology and quality of annual bluegrass".

Scientific Journal Articles:

Fagerness, M.J., F.H. Yelverton, and R.J. Cooper. 2002. Bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.]and Zoysiagrass (Zoysia japonica) establishment after preemergence herbicide application. Weed Technology: 16:597-602.

Bruneau, A.H., C.A. Bigelow, R.J. Cooper, and D.C. Bowman. 2001. Performance of creeping bentgrass cultivars maintained at two mowing heights and under two mowing regimes in North Carolina. Journal of the International Turfgrass Research Society. 9:835-844. 

Fagerness, M.J., F.H. Yelverton, J. Isgrigg, III and R.J. Cooper. 2000. Plant growth regulators and mowing height affect ball roll and quality of creeping bentgrass putting greens. HortScience. 35(4):755-759. 

Cooper, R.J., Chunhua Liu, and D.S. Fisher. 1998. Influence of humic substances on rooting and nutrient content of creeping bentgrass. Crop Science. 38(6): 1639-1644. Liu, Chunhua, R.J. Cooper, and D.C. Bowman. 1998. Humic acid application affects photosynthesis, root development, and nutrient content of creeping bentgrass. HortScience. 33(6): 1023-1025. 

Murphy, K.C., R.J. Cooper and J.M. Clark. 1996. Volatile and dislodgeable residues following trichlorfon and isazofos application to turfgrass and implications for human exposure. Crop Science. 36:1446-1454. 

Murphy, K.C., R.J. Cooper and J.M. Clark. 1996. Volatile and dislodgeable residues following triadimefon and MCPP application to turfgrass and implications for human exposure. Crop Science. 36: 1455-61. 

Cooper, R.J. 1993. Volatilization as an avenue for pesticide dissipation. Journal of the International Turfgrass Research Society. 7:116-126. 

Cooper, R.J. and L.A. Spokas. 1991. Growth, quality, and foliar iron concentration of Kentucky bluegrass treated with chelated iron sources. Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science. 116:798-801.

 Jenkins, J.J., R.J. Cooper and A.S. Curtis. 1991. Field chamber technique for measuring pendimethalin airborne loss from turfgrass. Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology. 47:594-601. 

Spokas, L.A. and R.J. Cooper. 1991. Plant growth regulator effects on foliar discoloration, pigment content, and photosynthetic rate of Kentucky bluegrass. Crop Science. 31:1668-1674.

Cooper, R.J., P.C. Bhowmik and L.A. Spokas. 1990. Root and rhizome growth of Kentucky bluegrass following application of pendimethalin. HortScience. 25:84-86. 

Cooper, R.J., J.J. Jenkins and A.S. Curtis. 1990. Pendimethalin volatility following application to turfgrass. Journal of Environmental Quality. 19:508-513. 

Cooper, R.J., K.J. Karnok, P.R. Henderlong and J.R. Street. 1988. Response of annual bluegrass to mefluidide under golf course conditions. Journal of Applied Agricultural Research. 3:220- 225. 

Cooper, R.J., J.R. Street, P.R. Henderlong and A.J. Koski. 1988. An analysis of the carbohydrate status of mefluidide-treated annual bluegrass. Agronomy Journal. 80:410-414. 

Cooper, R.J., P.J. Vittum and P.C. Bhowmik. 1988. An approach to improved extension outreach: user supported programming. Journal of Agronomic Education. 17:88-92. 

Cooper, R.J., P.R. Henderlong, J.R. Street and K.J. Karnok. 1987. Root growth, seedhead production, and quality of annual bluegrass as affected by mefluidide and wetting agent. Agronomy Journal. 79:929-934. 

Cooper, R.J. and C.R. Skogley. 1981. An evaluation of several topdressing programs for Agrostis palustris Huds. and Agrostis canina L. putting green turf. In (R.W. Sheard, ed.) Proc. of the 4th International Turfgrass Research Conference. Guelph, Ontario, Canada. pgs. 129-136.

Research Proceedings:

Cooper, R.J., J.J. Jenkins and A.S. Curtis. 1988. Determining volatilization of chlorothalonil and pendimethalin from a Kentucky bluegrass lawn. p. 4-6. In (B.M. Regan, ed.) Proc. of the First International Symposium on the Impact of Pesticides, Industrial and Consumer Chemicals on the Near Environment, Orlando, FL. 10-12 February, 1988. Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS. 267 pgs. 

Cooper, R.J., J.R. Street and P.R. Henderlong. 1986. An evaluation of the high temperature tolerance of mefluidide treated Poa annua L. Proceedings of the Northeastern Weed Science Society. 40:132-136. 

Cooper, R.J. and J.A. Jagschitz. 1980. Crabgrass control and turfgrass injury resulting from pre- and postemergent herbicides. Proceedings of the Northeastern Weed Science Society. 34:347-352.

Peer-Reviewed Book Chapters:

Jenkins, J.J., A.S. Curtis and R.J. Cooper. 1993. Two small-plot techniques for measuring airborne and dislodgeable residues of pendimethalin following application to turfgrass. In (K.D. Racke and A.R. Leslie, eds.) Pesticides in Urban Environments: Fate and Significance. pgs. 228-242. American Chemical Society, Washington, D.C. 

Jenkins, J.J., R.J. Cooper and A.S. Curtis. 1990. Comparison of pendimethalin airborne and dislodgeable residues following application to turfgrass. In (David A. Kurtz, ed.) Long Range Transport of Pesticides. pgs. 29-46. Lewis Publ., Chelsea, MI.

Textbooks: