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By Tricia Roberts, ATA Executive Director
E Edzard van Santen, Ph.D.,
Al ab ama Tu rf Tim e s > >> Spr ing 201 6
Auburn University
Dr. Edzard van Santen and his wife, Vicki
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dzard van Santen has been a professor and plant breeder at Auburn University in the Department of Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences for more than 28 years. It’s with great sadness that we announce he has officially retired as of May 1 and will start working at the University of Florida until he finds a hobby that will fulfill his days during true retirement. Edzard will forever be a part of ATA history with his contribution of the AU Victory bentgrass that he developed after seeing the situation the drought of 1999 and 2000 had on golf courses. This bentgrass is heat tolerant and has deeper roots than other cultivars and higher shoot density, making it very desirable in our southern region. AU Victory is now scattered over many courses in Alabama, leaving Edzard’s legacy behind as he moves on to greener pastures. Rest assured — he didn’t leave Auburn before turning this new bentgrass into an international commodity. AU Victory is also on golf courses in South Africa now. Leave it to our German-native professor to take his discovery across the big pond! Reflecting over his career at his retirement reception, Edzard thanked his mentors, which included family and a favorite teacher. His parents, neither of whom finished high school but were brilliant scholars, were highly motivational in showing him the importance of higher education. A grade school teacher, Mrs. Engelmann, recognized Edzard’s potential and pushed him to skip some grades. And his inlaws believed in him to help him financially through graduate school. Edzard earned his undergraduate degree at Philipps University in Marburg, Germany. He then moved to the U.S. and earned his master’s degree and Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. That’s where he met his wife, Vicki; they eventually settled in Auburn, both finding jobs as professors at Auburn University, and raised their three children: Christina, Kathriana and Jakob. The plan is for Edzard to spend time in Gainesville during the week and commute back to Auburn on the weekends, as Vicky is still employed in the Department of Pathobiology. It will be great to run into him from time to time, most likely at one of his favorite restaurants in town. Congratulations on your new endeavor Edzard. Please don’t be a stranger! v