[MUSIC]
I'm a strategy lead in biotech affairs and regulatory here at DuPont Pioneer, and what
that means is that I'm working on a number of traits to bring them to the regulatory
process and commercialize them really in the most efficient means possible.
So we're making sure all the correct studies are done to demonstrate safety of these new
transgenic, genetically-modified traits and looking for global biotech acceptance and
the green light to go ahead and commercialize not just in the United States but around the
world.
My ag experience goes back from I guess birth.
So I grew up on a farm in southwest Minnesota—corn, soybeans, hogs.
Eventually I went to the University of Minnesota for my undergrad and then eventually on to
South Dakota State and University of Florida for my master's and PhD in agronomy—so plants,
soils, crop production.
Between my undergrad and going to my master's program, I spent a few years in the United
States Peace Corps.
So I was in Cameroon, Central Africa, and again—very related to agriculture—I worked
at a vocational-technical school where our job was to take the book-learning from that
school and try to push it out to the surrounding villages and basically emulate the extension
service that the United States' universities are so good at.
Once I got to the Peace Corps in Cameroon, Central Africa, my interest in agriculture
really ratcheted up a few notches because, you know, I've had the nice opportunity to
be able to compare really high-production agriculture in North America in large farms
with subsistence agriculture in Cameroon, and with subsistence agriculture, the risk
management questions take on a whole new meaning because if the farmers don't produce a crop,
they might go hungry—there's no safety net in most parts of Africa.
There's no insurance that they can pay for.
There's a dual problem of limited access to good inputs like good seed or fertilizer or
crop production products, and then even if they could produce an excess production, there's
a lack of market access.
So there's no way to sell it.
So that really got me going as far as wanting to extend my education further in agriculture.
There's never a dull moment.
There's always something new going on that you have to think about, you have to address
new challenges, new opportunities.
So it's really exciting.
There's never been a day where I have a hard time getting out of bed wondering, oh boy,
what am I going to do today.
It never hurts to study hard and have good grades because the better your grades are,
the more experience you have in agriculture, the more opportunities and options are going
to be available for you.
Don't be afraid of trying new things.
You know, if you're growing up on a farm and every summer you've been home on the farm
helping the family which is great—it's an experience that not too many kids get anymore,
so that's wonderful—but maybe for an internship once you're an undergrad, look for something
off the farm.
Diversify your experiences.
Something new, an opportunity comes your way, just think about it.
Let it set awhile.
Think about how it might help your career, help the company, help farmers, and just let
it sit for awhile before you make a decision.
So just be thoughtful, be open to other people's ideas, be open to other people's diversity,
because the diversity is what really makes things work well.
If you can take advantage of all the diversity that's around you—whether it's people's
thoughts, people's backgrounds—then things can move forward.