Alex Bach's interest in irrigation began three years ago when the Irrigation Association granted him a scholarship after he explained how much he enjoyed and had learned in the irrigation class at Kansas State University. The following year, he became an E3 winner, an opportunity where the IA paid for his trip to the annual Irrigation Show and Education Conference. His experience in Long Beach, California, that year was where he learned the career possibilities in the irrigation industry, propelling his interest in pursuing a master's degree focused on irrigation. Earlier this year, the National Association of Landscape Professionals granted Bach the Hunter Industries Water Conservation/Irrigation Efficiency Scholarship, assuring his decision to pursue a career in the irrigation industry.

Wes Dyer, PhD candidate, is studying horticulture and natural resources at Kansas State University. His research focuses on water conservation efforts in turfgrass systems. Approaches include utilizing various sensor technology, field research and lab analysis to share data for better irrigation decisions. Throughout his studies he gained interest in environmental soil physics, water conservation approaches and computer programming for data analysis. He received his master's in agronomy at Texas A&M University, where his research focused on water quality issues and his bachelor's at Mississippi State University. Having worked on golf courses and athletic fields and volunteered for six PGA Tour tournaments as agronomy staff, Wes has a passion to connect research with industry application.