29.5.2012

TRAINING AGRICULTURAL TRAINING AGRICULTURAL SCIENTISTS SCIENTISTS IN A MORE GLOBALIZED IN A MORE GLOBALIZED WORLD I am pleased to be with you as you discuss the future of International WORLD Agriculture. My first meeting with Nitra Faculty was in 1986 and I have visited 4 ED RUNGE, PROGRAM DIRECTOR AND times between 1986 and 1996. My wife and I were also blessed to host Ladislav KabatKabatKabatKabat and JUDGING PANEL CHAIR, MONSANTO’S colleagues from Nitra at A&M University and in our home on BEACHELLBEACHELL----BORLAUGBORLAUG INTERNATIONAL several occasions. SCHOLARS PROGRAM, I also want to thank Nitra University again for awarding me with an Honorary Doctorate in 1996 PROFESSOR AND BILLIE B. TURNER CHAIR Globalization makes it necessary for us to understand the world so IN PRODUCTION AGRICULTURE (EMERITUS) we can properly prepare our students for the challenges they will face.face.face.

SOME IMPORTANT QUESTIONS A FEW WORDS OF HISTORY 1. Who are you? Am I normal (The teenager I have worked at University of Illinois, Iowa State question)? What do you see versus what others University, University of Missouri and Texas A&M see as your strengths and weaknesses? University and have worked in many foreign countries 2. How do you compare to other scientists? Are you in Africa, Asia, Europe, and Central and South America a risk taker or play it safe type person? I have guided graduate and undergraduate students and 3. Are you enthusiastic about your PhD program or have been the Department HHHeadHead of Agronomy or Soil your faculty appointment? Don’t procrastinate, & Crop Sciences for 26 years at the University of get it done! Missouri and Texas A&M University where my job was 4. T4. TheT he halfhalfhalf-half ---lifelife of a researchable question or any to mentor faculty and students. idea is about 5 years. And the faculties job was to make plants grow better 5. Loving what you do is THE KEY TO SUCCESS! while preserving the environment

MENTORS AND MENTORING MENTORS AND TEACHERS We all stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before us. Prepare My mentors are now mostly gone. Inspire What can a mentor do for the person being mentored? I think the biggest contribution of mentors are ––– Provide guidance Encouragement Set expectations Understanding your strengths & weaknesses much better and much earlier than you can. Encourage They can help you see things that you can not see or Criticize will understand only much laterlater.

1 29.5.2012

Some of My Important Career Events SOME IMPORTANT CAREER EVENTS •Selecting my PhD advisor. •Bringing Norman Borlaug to Texas A&M •Attending the 1968 International Soil Science •Serving on US Secretary of Agriculture’s Meetings in Adelaide, Australia. My 1My 1 ststst major trip. National Research, Education, Extension & •One Year Study Leave in New Zealand (1970(1970----71).71).71).71). Economics Advisory Board •President of Soil Science Society of America, American Society of Agronomy, and Council for •Why did I go into administration (at the Agricultural Science and Technology department head level)? •Family versus career always enters in. How do you achieve the right balance?

SOME UNIQUE EXPERIENCES Three Stages of Research Getting involved in International Agriculture as early That I Used in my career as possible but later than it should •1. Research that is completed and being written up for have been. It opened up opportunities I could not publication. imagine. •2. Research that is focused and preliminary data Bringing Dr. Norman Borlaug for 1 semester a year collected. Ready for further work or for a graduategraduate from 1984 to 2009 and being able to call him my student research project. friend, colleague and mentor. •3. Research ideas that are under discussion but stistillll Establishing a strong relationship with Hank BeachellBeachell not focused. Will move up to number 2 when focused. when he came back to Texas in 1981, another How do you get them focused or discardeddiscarded?? colleague, friend and mentor. Remember the halfhalf----lifelife of a researchable idea is five years or less.

New Challenges You MONSANTO BEACHELLBEACHELL----BORLAUGBORLAUG INTERNATIONAL SCHOLARS PROGRAM Will Encounter I was pleased that Monsanto asked a trained soil •1. You will often be asked to do something that youyou scientist to be the Program Director and Judging Panel Chair? could say yes or no to. I could have said no but did not do so. •2. How do you decide whether to say yes or no? I benefit by meeting and working with the brightest •3. If you say yes –––new pathways in your career may students in and breeding in the World. develop or you may wish you had said no. We require the PhD student to get two types of •4. Without new challenges careers plateau experience during their study –––developed prematurely and BOREDOM follows. Western Country and Developing/Transition •5. What risks should you take? Country. •6. Why does Monsanto’s BeachellBeachell----BorlaugBorlaug International Scholars Program require students to experience 2 different research programs?

2 29.5.2012

Our Mentors for Monsanto’s Monsanto’s BeachellBeachell--BorlaugBorlaug Beachell-Borlaug International International Scholars Program Scholars Program •• Funding: $2 Million/yr. gift for 5 years –– total $10 million •• Prestigious competitive fellowships to educate scholars capable of becoming leaders in agriculture •• Focus on addressing DR. NORMAN Dr. Henry Beachell global challenges of Rice Left to right – Hugh Grant, President and Chairman – BORLAUG & Wheat improvement .. Monsanto; Norman Borlaug; and Ted Crosbie, Vice President for Global Plant Breeding - Monsanto

International Panel of Judges Dr. Catherine Feuillet Dr. Monty Jones Benefits of MBBI Scholars Program Dr. Dr. Ronald Phillips Dr. Sanjay Rajaram Dr. Huqu Zhai •• IIncreasencrease capacity in developed and developing Dr. Ted Crosbie, Ex-Officio from Monsanto and countries for plant breeding and related research Dr. Edward Runge, Program Director and Chair of the Panel of Judges •• Links institutions and professors in developed and developing countries. Left to right: •• Students must conduct part of their research in each linked institution. Runge, Beachell •• Provides a full package of support for & Borlaug winning students •• Student stipend, tuition, fees, travel, funds Source: CIMMYT for collaborating institutions and professorprofessor.

MBBI Scholars Program First, What Will Be Your Personal and Second, Third, & Fourth Year Results •• Program is directed by Dr. Ed Runge, [email protected]@tamu.eduedu Career Renewal Vectors? •• Administered by the Texas AgriLife Research Center, Texas 1. How will you keep your enthusiasm and drive? A&M University, College Station, TX 7784377843--24742474 222.2. Don’t give up if you think your ideas are right! ––48, 47, 82 & 72 applications received in 1 st , 22ndnd , 3, 3 rd 44thth roundround 333.3. How will you prevent boredom during your life? ––12, 14, 12 & 14 funded (from 21 different countries) –– Students are from Argentina(2), Bangladesh, Brazil (2), China 444.4. Study leaves & alternative experiences –––will you taketaketake (4), Colombia (3), Ecuador, England, Ethiopia (4), Kenya, Korea, a study leave? How will you handle opportunity? Will you India ((14),14), Iran (2), Italy, Mexico (3), Nepal (2), Philippines,Philippines, say no to opportunity too often or not often enough? Syria(2), Tajikistan, Thailand, Tunisia & USA (4). 555.5. Loving what you do makes work fun and is the KEY TO •• Funded fellowships: 31 in wheat and 21 in rice breeding SUCCESSSUCCESS!! •• 55thth Round Applications: November 1, 2012 to February 1, 2013.2013. •• More Information: http://www.monsanto.com/mbbischolars

3 29.5.2012

YOU NEED TO LIKE THE PERSON YOU A SUCCESSFUL SCIENTIST IS SEE IN THE MIRROR Curious –––curiosity can not be taught but it can be I always told my children this when they were going to a party on Saturday encouraged. night.night.night. Innovative –––does not do ‘me too’ research Always give your best, it helps your self image. Collaborative –––individual researchers are now most Don’t be afraid to take risks but always learn from your mistakes. often part of a team. Work harder than others –––it is a competitive world and it helps your self Persuasive –––keeps going if he/she thinks they are worth too. right.right.right. Prevent boredom by your actions. More people die of boredom than Inspirational –––fun to be with anything else. Remember in 5 years you will be bored if you have not found some renewal vectors for your career to grow. Passionate –––really likes what he/she does Smile –––it is the World’s universal language Productive ---

A SUCCESSFUL SCIENTIST SOME CLOSING COMMENTS You’re time is limited, so don’t waste it living Works hard and creates his/her own luck. someone else’s life. (Steve Jobs) Borlaug called this serendipity. Don’t be trapped by dogma, which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. (Steve Is not afraid of failure but learns from JobsJobsJobs)Jobs ))) each experience. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out Is happy your own inner voice. (Steve JobsJobs)))) Contributes to society in general Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what Believes in what he/she is doing you truly want to become. Everything else is secondarysecondary.. (Steve JobsJobs).).).).

4