During the writing of will d…a life in science, Dr. Carpenter was asked for “off of the top of your head” answers to some questions relating to pertinent events in his life. Check in regularly to view those answers. Please click on the image at left to read the complete question and answer. …
Q: How did your relationship with your family of origin impact your professional career? A: Whatever was going on with any of us, Dad and Mother always sought the truth. Each of them listened to the other’s beliefs, even when they disagreed, and they were open-minded with me and my siblings. I was surrounded by …
Q: How did the foundation laid for you in the Mississippi Delta influence decisions you made when dealing with employees, peers and those to whom you reported? A: The work ethic that I developed carried over all of my life. I expected that kind of commitment from those that I worked with. I also saw …
Q: What is the most important lesson you learned while you were a student at Mississippi State? A: The importance of self-discipline, the value of forecasting the future, and the various implications of volunteering. It was also the first time that I was exposed to the generation of science. There are always students who fall …
Q: What was the most important benefit you received from being in the military, and what was your greatest contribution? A: I learned many things during my time in the active reserves and while on active duty. First, I had to obtain the maximum value from my people, regardless of the people and the situation, …
Q: Your career with Monsanto appears to be fulfilling over all. Is there any other company you would have benefited from more, or do you wonder what other direction you might have chosen? A: There are several outstanding companies that would have been good choices for a career. Given the changes that Monsanto was considering, …
Q As a scientist, is there anything you wanted to achieve that never quite fit into your experience, and was therefore left undone? A My marketing friends may have a shock, but I would have liked to have had marketing responsibilities at some point, but I am hard-pressed to think as to how I could …
Q You excelled at product development. In hindsight what would you have done differently given the same set of circumstances? A There are a number of things that I did that I enjoyed very much. I loved football, basketball, and track, but I was mediocre at best. I still enjoyed all of them, I learned …
Q During the course of your career, in dealing with both employees and your superiors, is there anything in your management style you would have changed? A Good question! Probably my bosses could give you a better answer than I. However, as I look back at people who did not perform to an acceptable level …
Q Do you feel that you contributed positively to the working situation of the women at Monsanto? A I feel comfortable in answering with a resounding “yes!” The best answer is that the Women’s organization at Monsanto gave me an award for being their mentor, advisor, and coach. Women and minorities let me know that …
Q As a scientist, what do you consider your greatest achievement or contribution? A It is necessary to say many times over, that any of my accomplishments were shared with and/or made possible by dozens, even hundreds of people. Bringing Roundup to market, which changed the lives of tens of millions of people, and the …
Q: The world underwent major transformations as a result of industry and agricultural changes. As someone who participated in much of that revolution, could you talk about how you view those changes? A In the last 50 years, the science and technology of agriculture has changed dramatically, from the equipment and the materials used, to …
On April 22, 2021, Dr. Will D. Carpenter lost his lovely wife of 61 years, Hellen. Mrs. Carpenter had been battling Alzheimer’s disease for a number of years, but finally succumbed to the illness surrounded in love by her family. Hellen Evelyn Dodd Carpenter was born in Dallas, Texas on August 14, 1932. Dr. and … Continue reading
Dr. Will D. Carpenter has been involved with Webster University for many years in an advisory capacity, participating with them in numerous projects, and as a donor. For his years of service, the University had planned to award Dr. Carpenter an Honorary Doctorate of Humanitarian Service on May 8, 2020, but because of the Covid-19 … Continue reading
Congratulations to Will Dockery Carpenter for being accepted for inclusion in Wikipedia. Although Dr. Carpenter’s “article” or “list” in Wikipedia was submitted a year-and-a-half ago, it had to go through a verifiable phase and a period during which time it could be challenged for legitimacy. Since the “article” and the author have met the … Continue reading
Hellen and I wish all of you dear friends a Happy, Healthy, and Prosperous New Year! Continue reading
A number of notable men worked tirelessly in the late 90s and early 2000s to secure a Chemical Weapons Treaty for the world. Among those men was Dr. Will D. Carpenter. Below is the testimony of Dr. Carpenter before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in 1989. Testimony of Dr. Will D. Carpenter Vice President, Technology … Continue reading
Dr. Will D. Carpenter delivered the following talk in 1994 at Mississippi State University. With schools across the country soon reconvening for the fall semester, we thought it would be an ideal time to print it here. The Perennial Freshman Will D. Carpenter Phi Kappa Phi Banquet Friday, 18 November 1994 Thank you for the opportunity … Continue reading
My friend Tom Lawrence left us in March of 2017, but, he left behind several fictional manuscripts. The two follow-up books to his popular first novel, Jakes’s Revenge are now available exclusively at http://www.amazon.com Hellen and I are really looking forward to reading them! (see details below) Just in time for the beach — Front … Continue reading
From left: Michael Schulz, Sam Lawrence, Mary Prater, Celeste Carpenter Cox, Rick Cox, Art Doty Starkville, MS Memorial scholarship creates meaningful union at MSU By: Addie Mayfield A recent commemorative event honoring the late Mississippi State University alumnus Thomas R. “Tom” Lawrence, united members of the Will D. Carpenter family of Chesterfield, Missouri and leadership … Continue reading
HAPPY NEW YEAR, 2018 from HELLEN AND WILL CARPENTER! Continue reading
(left to right, the Carpenter’s son-in-law, Rick Cox, Will D. Carpenter, daughter, Celeste Carpenter Cox, son, Will A. Carpenter, Hellen Carpenter, and daughter-in-law, Zonnya White Carpenter) St. Louis Gala honors the Hellen and Will Carpenter Hellen and Will Carpenter were among 20 others honored Saturday night, October 28, 2017, at the 15th Annual Ageless, Remarkable … Continue reading
Will D. 