Working from home

Richard Buckley has worked in various states of solitude during his decades as the director of the Plant Diagnostic Lab and Nematode Detection Service at Rutgers University. Turn on some Grateful Dead and tune out the rest of the world.

Since the university shut down its physical campuses earlier this month, though, he has worked in total solitude, studying submitted samples in a satellite lab he set up in his extra bedroom.

Yes, his extra bedroom.

Buckley and his assistant, Sabrina Tirpak, worked around various restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic since March 1, but they were still permitted on campus until April 10. After that, “we were kicked out,” Buckley says. “They closed down all the research, everybody. No one could come on campus unless you had something critical.”

Buckley and Tirpak discussed applying for an agronomy exemption, “but both of my bosses up the chain are plant virologists and they were, like, ‘No way,’” Buckley says. “They’re concerned about the whole situation.”

April is a slower season for Buckley and Tirpak, but they wanted to continue to provide support for the industry, “so as soon as the deans started talking about closing us,” Buckley says, “we were scrambling for ideas.”

Their best option, like so many other Americans, was to just work from home.

Buckley packed a dissecting microscope, a compound microscope and an inverted microscope he uses for nematode counts, along with various slides, beakers and other various equipment, and carted it home. It now shares space with a queen bed in a room about one-tenth the size of his lab.

Challenges emerged during the first week of remote work. How would Buckley and Tirpak exchange samples and enter information into the database — especially with Tirpak set up with a centrifuge and nematode-washing equipment in her garage about 30 miles away? The duo is in constant contact, about 10 times per day right now, texting images of submission forms and sending email attachments of various letters, and will likely be in near-constant contact as the busy season starts up in late June or early July.

And how would superintendents and other industry professionals submit samples when the lab is not only closed but access to the grounds is prohibited? “All of the mail that would come to our lab has been transferred to the central post office on campus, and they let us come pick that up,” Buckley says. “We got some samples that way, but we’ve also had golf course superintendents contact us directly, our emails are on the website.” One superintendent mailed samples to Tirpak at her home and another dropped off some on Buckley’s porch. “That’s an option, too,” Buckley says with a laugh. “If they contact us directly, we can work with them to meet whatever needs they have.”

Rutgers has already cancelled all classes and events on its campuses into August, and Buckley is prepared to work from his unique home office for the long haul. He leaves his home maybe once a week for groceries and other supplies, and more frequently for his solo bike rides. He picks up samples from the central post office. Outside of those activities, “I’m keeping my head down,” he says. “I heard a guy say, ‘You can’t get sick if the virus can’t find you.’”

Finding his lab equipment will be far easier.

Matt LaWell is Golf Course Industry’s managing editor.