James B Beard biographical collection.

This collection contains papers documenting the life and work of Dr. James B Beard - including his curriculum vitae, bibliographies, correspondence, articles detailing his research accomplishments, and letters written in support of his nomination to various turfgrass organizations and awards. The materials date from between 1979 and 2002, although they include information detailing Dr. Beard's entire career.

James B Beard was born on 24 September 1935 in Piqua, Ohio. He graduated from Ohio State University with a B.S. degree summa cum laude in 1957. At Purdue University, he studied under a National Science Foundation Fellowship and completed his M.S. in Crop Ecology in 1959 and his Ph.D in Crop Physiology in 1961. He joined the Michigan State University Crop Science Faculty in 1961 eventually progressing to the rank of full professor. Dr. Beard joined the Faculty of the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences at Texas A&M University in 1975, from which he eventually retired. He served as the President of the Crop Science Society of America and the International Turfgrass Society. He received the Fred V. Grau Turfgrass Science Award in 1988. Under his direction, and working in concert with MSU Libraries Director Dr. Richard Chapin, the MSU Library began collecting turfgrass materials resulting in the well-known MSU Libraries Turfgrass Information Center.