IRRI Pioneer Potpourri
Channel: International Rice Research Institute
Date: 12/01/2011

This final installment in the 12-part IRRI Pioneer Interview series features a selection of opinions, ideas, and anecdotes, which cover relevant commentary on current events, children growing up at IRRI and views on their fathers, and even a discrepancy or two. 

Gelia Castillo (Philippine National Scientist and long-time IRRI consultant) on her interest in rice and contributing to IRRI as a consultant

Hubert Zandstra (IRRI agronomist,1975-80; IRRI deputy director general for research, 1989-91) on the excitement of conducting research. 

Peggy Hill (daughter of IRRI co-founder Forrest "Frosty" Hill, Ford Foundation vice president of overseas development, who served for 14 years as chair of IRRI's Board of Trustees) on her father. 

Ron Cantrell (IRRI director general, 1998-2004) on public- private-sector cooperation and hybrid rice.

Sant Virmani (IRRI hybrid rice breeder, 1979-2005) on getting IRRI to commit to hybrid rice research.

Merle Shepard (IRRI entomologist, 1984-88; currently professor emeritus and executive director of the Archbold Tropical Research and Education Consortium, Clemson University) on Carolina Gold.

George Rothschild (IRRI director general, 1995-97) on the ongoing change in the CGIAR.

Heidi Barker, daughter of Randy Barker (IRRI agricultural economist and head, Agricultural Economics Department, 1966-78; acting head, IRRI Social Sciences Division, 2007-08), on being a kid at IRRI,

Carolyn Moomaw (spouse of James Curtis Moomaw, IRRI's first agronomist, 1961-69) on fast-driving DG Chandler and speed bumps. 

Sons (Dean and Jeff) of T.T. Chang, IRRI's first geneticist, 1962-91, reflect on who their father was and what he was doing.

Ed Price (IRRI economist, 1975-85; currently associate vice chancellor, director of the Norman Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture, and professor of agricultural economics, Texas A&M University, on farming systems technology and the "young Turks" on staff during the Brady era (1973-81). 

Colleagues sometimes see things differently: Ronnie Coffman, IRRI plant breeder (1971-81) and Gurdev Khush, IRRI rice breeder and principal scientist, 1967-2001. 

Klaus Lampe (IRRI director general, 1988-95) on advice from his spouse who emulated Eleanor Roosevelt. 

Nyle Brady (IRRI director general, 1973-81) on being "IRRI" class.

See transcript of these  interview excerpts at http://archive.irri.org/publications/today/Potpourri.asp

See Rice Today Article at http://irri.org/index2.php?option=com_k2&view=item&task=download&id=284