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 …
A LOOK INTO OUR FOOD FUTURE WILL D. CARPENTER A poem written by Alfred Lord Tennyson over a hundred years ago contains these lines: “For I dipt into the future, far as human eye could see, saw the vision of the world, and all the wonder that would be.” While Lord Tennyson’s prediction of a … Continue reading
Hellen Carpenter is the granddaughter of Dr. James Naismith, the man who invented basketball. On Thursday, June 30, 2016, Small College Basketball announces the inaugural Hall of Fame Class inductees, which naturally includes Dr. Naismith. The actual induction ceremony will be held Thursday, November 17, 2016, and Dr. and Mrs. Will Carpenter and other family members … Continue reading
Over 30 years ago I learned one of the most valuable lessons of my life. As the years went by I forgot that lesson, but when I recently dug through some old papers, I found a copy of a talk I once gave that reminded me of its importance. In graduate school, my primary professor, … Continue reading
Think you know basketball? Had Dr. James Naismith still been living when Will Carpenter and Hellen Dodd met, they could have had quite a discussion about the game of basketball. Dr. Naismith was Hellen’s Maternal Grandfather, and he was the man who invented the game!! On November 17, 2016, Dr. Naismith will be inducted into … Continue reading
Science Interfaces This spring, thousands of students will receive diplomas in various fields of science, at all levels and subject matter, and with varying degrees of success. There is at least one thing they will all have in common: the lack of formal exposure in managing the many science interfaces that they will encounter in … Continue reading
The following is a summary of a talk given by Dr. Will D. Carpenter to the National Association of County Agents in 2000. It is still relevant today. The Vital Role of County Agents in Agriculture As the son of H.A. Carpenter, County and District Agent in the Mississippi Delta for 37 years, I learned … Continue reading
The Saga of the American Chestnut Tree By Will D. Carpenter, Ph.D. When the first settlers came to North America from Europe, they looked upon some of the most beautiful forests ever to be seen by man: oak, hickory, pine, chestnuts, and many others. Chestnuts? Who saw chestnuts? The American Chestnut was the … Continue reading
Round-up is constantly in the news, and questions abound about the use of chemical weapons in today’s world. So many questions, and we need reliable answers! With the exception of Dr. John Franz, the inventor of Roundup, there is probably not a person alive who knows more about the revolutionary product than Dr. Will D Carpenter. … Continue reading
The year was 1944. In Europe, millions of civilians were fleeing westward to escape the Russian army. Among them was a ten year old German boy and his little sister, whose mother was deceased and whose father was imprisoned in a Russian camp. The war was over and he and his sister made their way … Continue reading
The Will D Carpenter Lecture Tour continues, with the next talk scheduled at Purdue University, where Will earned his Masters and Doctorate degrees. Will is as excited about being back on the campus as they are looking forward to his return. The lecture, “The Significant Role Played by the Chemical Industry in the Realization of … Continue reading
Will D. 