Walter Fehr
Plant Breeder,
Iowa State University

  

Plant Science Career Path

  • Grew up on a farm in northern Minnesota
  • Studied agriculture in high school
  • Took a genetics course taught by a plant breeder at the University of Minnesota
  • Worked for a summer for the plant breeder and decided to make plant breeding his career
  • Received BS in Agronomy, MS in Agronomy and Plant Genetics, PhD in Plant Breeding and Genetics
  • Works as a university professor, teaching undergraduate and graduate students how to genetically improve crops
  • Develops soybean varieties that are more productive, have improved pest resistance, and better nutritional characteristics
  • Tests soybean varieties at multiple locations and provides data to farmers for use in seed selection

What does Dr. Fehr like about his job?

Expert's Advice to Young People

Want to know more?

"I enjoy helping students learn, developing soybean varieties that are better than those currently available, and discovering information that has never been known before."
  • Plant breeding is a profession that helps humankind by constantly improving the productivity and quality of a crop. It requires an interest in the producer and the consumer.
  • Requires an understanding of genetics, statistics, agronomy, food science, and other disciplines.
  • Get a job with a plant breeder during the summer and give it a try. You may like it.

Email Dr. Fehr to learn more about his experiences as a plant breeder

To find out more about the
Agronomy Department where Dr. Fehr works, check out their website.
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URL: http://www.agron.iastate.edu/plantscience