Our collaborators include university and industry colleagues who are undertaking research on water treatment and management.

Team leaders

  • Sarah White
    Dr Sarah White
    WateR3 Project Director
    School of Agricultural, Forest, and Environmental Sciences
    Clemson University
    E-143 Poole Agricultural Center, PO Box 340319
    Clemson, SC 29634
    Tel. (864) 656-7433
    Sarah, WateR3 project director, will evaluate remediation technologies targeting nutrient and pathogen contaminants.
  • Paul Fisher
    Dr Paul Fisher
    Alliance Director and WateR3 Co-Principal Investigator
    Environmental Horticulture Department
    University of Florida
    2549 Fifield Hall, PO Box 110670
    Gainesville FL 32611-0670
    Tel. 352 273 4581
    Fax. 352 392 3870
    Paul leads outreach efforts for WateR3 and the Water Education Alliance for Horticulture, and undertaking research on filtration and chemical remediation.

California

  • Darren Haver
    Dr Darren Haver
    WateR3 Co-Principal Investigator
    South Coast Research & Extension Center
    University of California
    7601 Irvine Blvd.
    Irvine, CA 92618
    Tel. (949) 653-1814
    Darren will manage the collection of water samples in Southern California, and assist in developing and delivering workshops.
  • Lorence Oki
    Dr Lorence Oki
    WateR3 Co-Principal Investigator
    Department of Plant Sciences
    University of California, Davis
    One Shields Avenue 1110 Env Hort
    Davis, CA 95616-8587
    Tel. (530) 754-4135
    Lorence studies irrigation and runoff management in nurseries, and effect of water quality on plant growth.
  • Jim Hessler
    Jim Hessler
    WateR3 Advisory Board Member
    Altman Specialty Plants, Inc.
    3742 Blue Bird Canyon Road
    Vista CA 92084

Connecticut

  • Rosa E Raudales
    Dr. Rosa E Raudales
    Plant Science and Landscape Architecture
    University of Connecticut
    1376 Storrs Rd.
    Storrs,CT 06269

    Tel. 860 486 6043
    Rosa is interested in improving water management in the green industry, specially in closed irrigation systems.

Florida

  • Paul Fisher
    Dr Paul Fisher
    Alliance Director and WateR3 Co-Principal Investigator
    Environmental Horticulture Department
    University of Florida
    2549 Fifield Hall, PO Box 110670
    Gainesville FL 32611-0670
    Tel. 352 273 4581
    Fax. 352 392 3870
    Paul leads outreach efforts for WateR3 and the Water Education Alliance for Horticulture, and undertaking research on filtration and chemical remediation.
  • Laura Warner
    Dr Laura Warner
    WateR3 Co-Principal Investigator
    Department of Agricultural Education and Communication
    University of Florida
    117 Bryant Hall, PO Box 112060
    Gainesville, FL 32611
    Tel. (352) 273-0202
    Laura is part of the sociology team conducting grower perceptions research that will guide Extension materials development.
  • P. Christopher Wilson
    Dr P. Christopher Wilson
    WateR3 Co-Principal Investigator
    Soil and Water Science Department
    University of Florida
    2181 McCarty Hall A, PO BOX 110290
    Gainesville, FL 32611-0290
    Tel. (352) 294-3151
    Chris will evaluate the efficacy of using a treatment train bioreactor system to manipulate oxidation-reduction potentials to target removal of both nitrogen and phosphorus from production runoff.
  • Phil Harmon
    Dr Phil Harmon
    Alliance Contributer
    Plant Pathology
    University of Florida
    Tel. (352) 392-3631 x 340
    Phil provides expertise on the biology of pathogens found in greenhouse water, helping to author the Alliance's article on pathogen biology in GMPro.
  • Maria Paz Kinslow
    Maria Paz Kinslow
    WateR3 Research Assistant
    Environmental Horticulture Department
    University of Florida
    1533 Fifield Hall, PO Box 110670
    Gainesville, FL 32611-0670
    Tel. (352) 273-4522
    Maria will undertake research on filtration and chemical remediation, and aid with extension activities including this website.

Georgia

  • Alexa Lamm
    Dr Alexa Lamm
    WateR3 Co-Principal Investigator
    Agricultural Leadership, Education & Communication
    University of Georgia
    132 Four Towers, 405 College Station Road
    Athens, GA 30602
    Tel. (706) 542-5598
    Alexa will be using social science research techniques to identify specific factors that influence growers' decision making, which will guide Extension materials development.

Kentucky

  • Dewayne Ingram
    Dr Dewayne Ingram
    WateR3 Co-Principal Investigator
    Department of Horticulture
    University of Kentucky
    N-308F Agri. Science Center
    Lexington, KY 40546-0091
    Tel. (859) 257-8903
    Dewayne specializes in water footprint and carbon footprint of water for the model production system components using life cycle assessment.

Maryland

  • John Lea-Cox
    Dr John Lea-Cox
    WateR3 Co-Principal Investigator
    Plant Science & Landscape Architecture
    University of Maryland
    2120 Plant Sciences Building
    College Park, MD 20742
    Tel. (301) 405-4323
    John will focus on water and nutrient management to reduce contaminant loading into recycled water systems.
  • Andrew Ristvey
    Dr Andrew Ristvey
    WateR3 Co-Principal Investigator
    Plant Science & Landscape Architecture
    University of Maryland
    124 Wye Narrows Drive
    Queenstown, MD 21658-0169
    Tel. (410) 827-8056 x 113
    Andrew research focus is water and nutrient management in production of container-grown ornamentals.
  • Cassandra Swett
    Dr Cassandra Swett
    WateR3 Co-Principal Investigator
    Plant Science & Landscape Architecture
    University of Maryland
    2106 Plant Sciences Building
    College Park, MD 20742-4452
    Tel. (301) 405-5586
    Cassandra will focus on management of latent Phytophthora infections in nursery stock through microsensor-mediated irrigation.

Massachusetts

  • Rob Wick
    Dr Rob Wick
    Alliance Contributer
    Tel. 413-545-1045
    Rob is a Professor at the University of Massachusetts where he supervises the diagnostic laboratory. With a research focus on plant bacterial and fungal diseases, Rob provides expertise in understanding the biology of pathogens found in irrigation water. He has helped author Alliance articles in GMPro magazine.
  • Rick Yates
    Rick Yates
    Alliance Contributer
    Technical Support Manager
    Griffin Greenhouse & Nursery Supplies
    Rick is the Technical Support Manager at Griffin Greenhouse and Nursery Supplies. He has been very generous in providing his expertise on chlorine dioxide to the Alliance, helping us both in the planning of workshops and the preparation of articles for GMPro.

Michigan

  • Bridget Behe
    Dr Bridget Behe
    WateR3 Co-Principal Investigator
    Dept. of Horticulture
    Michigan State University
    1066 Bogue St.
    East Lansing, MI 48824-1325
    Tel. (517) 355-5191 x 1346
    Bridget will conduct consumer research to better understand how plant consumers will react to marketing and merchandising that includes information about a plant’s water use in production and in the landscape.
  • Bert Cregg
    Dr Bert Cregg
    WateR3 Co-Prinicipal Investigator
    Dept. of Horticulture
    Michigan State University
    A214 Plant & Soil Sciences Building
    East Lansing MI 48824-1325
    Tel. (517) 355-5191 x 1335
    Bert is investigating the effects of recycled and remediated water on plant growth, quality and physiology.
  • Thomas Fernandez
    Dr Thomas Fernandez
    WateR3 Co-Principal Investigator
    Department of Horticulture
    Michigan State University
    A216 Plant & Soil Science Building
    East Lansing, MI 48824-1325
    Tel. (517) 355-5191 x 1336
    Thomas will develop a model to manage nutrient and pathogen loads in irrigation runoff, and evaluate water treatment technologies.
  • Bill Argo
    Dr Bill Argo
    Bill is a Technical Manager at Blackmore with an interest in plant nutrition, media, and water. Bill helped author the Alliance's first article in GMPro magazine, and is helping to coordinate upcoming Alliance workshops in the northeast.

New Jersey

  • Robin Brumfield
    Dr. Robin Brumfield
    WateR3 Collaborator
    Department of Agriculture, Food and Resource Economics
    Rutgers University
    55 Dudley Road
    New Brunswick, NJ 08901
    Tel. (848) 932-9130
    Robin will focus on the economic analysis of water recycling strategies and developing the economic components of a decision making tool for medium size nursery businesses.

Ohio

  • Jim Owen
    Dr Jim Owen
    WateR3 Co-Principal Investigator
    Application Technology Research Unit
    USDA-ARS
    1680 Madison Ave., 215A Williams Hall
    Wooster
    Tel. (757) 374-8153
    Jim will evaluate treatment technologies for remediation of total suspended solids and mineral nutrients under controlled conditions and in commercial ornamental nurseries.

Ontario

  • Youbin Zheng
    Dr Youbin Zheng
    Alliance Contributer
    Department of Environmental Biology
    University of Guelph
    Guelph, Ontario
    Canada
    Tel. 519- 824-4120 Ext. 52741
    An Adjunct Professor at the University of Guelph (Canada), Youbin conducts research on many aspects of greenhouse production, including water disinfestation technologies. Youbin will be an author on several of the Alliance's articles in GMPro magazine.

Oregon

  • Jennifer Parke
    Dr Jennifer Parke
    WateR3 Co-Principal Investigator
    Department of Botany and Plant Pathology
    Oregon State University
    Corvallis, OR 97331
    Tel. (541) 737-8170
    Jennifer conducts research on management of Phytophthora spp. in nurseries.
  • Walter Suttle
    Walter Suttle
    WateR3 Advisory Board Member
    Monrovia
    13455 SE Lafayette Hwy
    Dayton OR 97114
    Walter is the Technical Services Manager at Monrovia’s nursery in Dayton Oregon. In this role he oversees irrigation, fertility and pest management, as well as environmental issues.

South Carolina

  • Sarah White
    Dr Sarah White
    WateR3 Project Director
    School of Agricultural, Forest, and Environmental Sciences
    Clemson University
    E-143 Poole Agricultural Center, PO Box 340319
    Clemson, SC 29634
    Tel. (864) 656-7433
    Sarah, WateR3 project director, will evaluate remediation technologies targeting nutrient and pathogen contaminants.
  • Daniel Hitchcock
    Dr Daniel Hitchcock
    WateR3 Co-Principal Investigator
    School of Agricultural, Forest, and Environmental Sciences
    Clemson University
    P.O. Box 596
    Georgetown, SC 29442-0596
    Tel. (843) 546-1013 x 236
    Dan leads the nursery operation modeling and water management system simulation team.

Texas

  • Charlie Hall
    Dr Charlie Hall
    WateR3 Co-Principal Investigator
    Department of Horticultural Sciences
    Texas A&M University
    2133 TAMU
    College Station, TX 77843-2133
    Tel. (979) 458-3277
    Charlie will focus on the economic analysis of water management strategies and assess the economics of developed models.

Virginia

  • Laurie Fox
    Dr Laurie Fox
    WateR3 Co-Principal Investigator
    Hampton Roads Agricultural Research and Extension Center
    Virginia Tech
    1444 Diamond Springs Rd
    Virginia Beach, VA 23455-3315
    Tel. (757) 363-3807
    Laurie will assist with coordinating and overseeing the floating Treatment Wetland research in Virginia.
  • Saurav Kumar
    Dr Saurav Kumar
    WateR3 Co-Principal Investigator
    Virginia Tech
    Tel. (703) 361-5606 x 137
    Saurav will assist in development and deployment of the online decision support tool to aid growers of containerized crop production systems and also assist in implementing the data management plan for the project.
  • David Sample
    Dr David Sample
    WateR3 Co-Principal Investigator
    Department of Biological Systems Engineering
    Virginia Tech
    1444 Diamond Springs Rd.
    Virginia Beach, VA 23455
    Tel. (757) 363-3835
    David will assist in the development of a decision support tool to manage nutrient, carbon, water, and monetary flows in nurseries and conduct a research study on the effectiveness of floating wetlands for treatment of nursery runoff.
  • Chuanxue Hong
    Dr Chuanxue Hong
    Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
    Dr. Hong's research program focuses on biology and management of plant pathogens in irrigation water. He has lent his expertise to the Alliance's GMPro articles on chlorination, and his knowledge of Pythium and Phythopthora is an asset to the group.