Senior biology major, Christopher Gazze, received a Palumbo Grant to study the effects of crumb rubber and simulated wear on an athletic field. He is currently working with his advisor, Dr. Cynthia Walter, to publish this research in the Journal of the Pennsylvania Acadmeny of Science. Mr. Gazze had the following to say about his research:

"Late summers in southwestern Pennsylvania are characterized by hot, dry weather, which impede the ability of athletic fields to tolerate wear, therefore decreasing the safety and performance of the field. Crumb rubber made from recycled tires plays an important role in protecting grass from the harmful effects of wear. A topdressing study was performed in August 2005 to determine the effect of crumb rubber on the wear tolerance of athletic turf. A new field was planted in Greensburg using a Kentucky bluegrass sod in a randomized block design with three replications each of plots designated as no wear/crumb rubber, no wear/no crumb rubber, wear/crumb rubber, and wear/no crumb rubber. Over a two-week period in August, human activity simulated high school football practices on the plots. The crumb rubber factor and the wear factors had statistically significant effects on both turf quality and turf coverage. Our results suggest that crumb rubber can increase wear tolerance of an athletic field used in the late summer. Using crumb rubber as a topdressing, the quality of the athletic field could increase, potentially providing a safer playing surface for athletes."