Remembering Mark Sulc

Dr. Mark Sulc, a long-time member and contributor to the Agronomic Crops Network, passed away in September of 2023 following a two-year battle with glioblastoma. He retired from the Department of Horticulture and Crop Science last autumn, marking over 30 years as the Ohio State Forage Extension Specialist. His outreach activities expanded and disseminated knowledge on forage production and management systems for Ohio. Mark developed quality, in-depth training opportunities for Extension agents, industry professionals, and producers. Mark maintained an active research program throughout his career with a focus on forage crop management, especially in relation to disease and insect pests. He was an excellent collaborator and typically worked in multi-disciplinary groups involving partners at OSU and other universities, including collaborators in Brazil.

Mark remained active and productive throughout his career. It is noteworthy that he published seven refereed journal articles in his final three years of service. In addition, he was a significant contributor (co-PI) on a successfully funded USDA-AFRI project on, “Fall Armyworm Outreach and Research for Alfalfa Growers and Educators”, which has multiple years of funding remaining.

Mark was born in Hagerstown, Maryland but grew up in Brazil where his parents were missionaries. Mark continued to minister to international students throughout his career. He earned his BS and MS degrees at Iowa State University and his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin. During his tenure at Ohio State, Dr. Sulc served as Interim Chair of the Department of Horticulture and Crop Science from 2011 to 2012. Mark is survived by his wife of 41 years, Sally, and four children (Jenna, Kelsey, Nathan, and Peter) and their actively growing families. Mark’s obituary may be found at: https://www.tiddfuneralservice.com/obituaries/reuben-sulc.