While Scott McElroy, assistant professor and weed scientist, may have a funny title, the care he gives to his job is no laughing matter.
"He has a lot of energy," said David Weaver, professor in agronomy and soils. "He is very well-received by the students. My daughter took his class and thought he was a great teacher. She would have McElroy stories every day."
Most recently, McElroy's hard work was recognized by someone other than his colleagues.
He won the Southern Weed Science Society's 2011 Outstanding Young Weed Scientist award in February.
"The people that won it in the past are just brilliant people," McElroy said. "When I got nominated for it I thought, 'There is no way I'll win.'"
The award is presented to scientists younger than 40 who have made a contribution to weed science.
McElroy, Auburn alumnus, has been working in the agronomy and soils department for four years.
In the summer and fall, he teaches one class each.
"He is very enthusiastic about his research," Weaver said. "He has all the qualities we need in people that are doing that kind of job."
A former colleague at the University of Tennessee nominated McElroy for the award.
He even traveled to Puerto Rico to accept it.
"Puerto Rico was awesome, especially in January," McElroy said. "If you don't like cold weather, it is the place to go."
When McElroy isn't traveling, he spends most of his time at Auburn researching and studying weed science with his graduate students.
"It's the study of plants that people don't like," McElroy said. "We study all the weeds that infest turfgrass mainly."
He said they experiment with methods of killing the weeds and even the benefits of some weed species.
"I spend the vast majority of my time figuring out how to pay everybody," McElroy said. "People within the state say, 'All we do is pay you professors, and you do nothing,' but all I do is bring in money."
McElroy said he has to work to pay his four graduate students, a technician and himself during the summer.
"I pay for six people right there," McElroy said. "That is a lot of stress to make sure you have that flow of money in."
One way they pull in this money is by conducting collaborative research with chemical companies.
McElroy said sometimes they will ask state organizations like the Alabama Turfgrass Association, the Alabama Turf Research Foundation and the Alabama Agriculture and Industries for funds, or he'll go to golf courses and see if they can work with them on collaborative research.
"It really runs the gamut," McElroy said. "We try to collaborate with people and do the research at sod farms, golf courses and athletic fields. We try to really make sure our stuff is applicable to the state of Alabama."
McElroy's interest in weed science grew during his senior year of college.
At the time, he was pursuing a communication degree, but like a pesky plant, his desire to know more about weeds persisted.
His interest grew into a master's degree in agronomy and soils at Auburn, and eventually he earned his doctorate at North Carolina State University.
"It's an enormous agricultural school--really big, lots of money," McElroy said. "I wanted to go out of the state. If you ever plan on coming back, you have to get out first."
After working at the University of Tennessee, McElroy said he and his wife Nikki decided to return to Auburn for their sons, Joseph, William and Trent.
"It was really a decision that my wife and I saw as an opportunity to move back to a small town with an excellent school system," McElroy said. "It was as much a decision for my family as far as the benefits than as far as the position, but it's been a good move."
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