2003 Honorary Degree

A. Bruce Maunder Doctor Of Agriculture A. Bruce Maunder has earned recognition for his preeminent contributions as an agricultural scientist, industry leader, and for increasing the world food supply through research. A. Bruce Maunder Dr. Maunder lives in Lubbock, Texas, and is enjoying "semiretirement" following a 37-year career with Dekalb Genetics Inc. Born and raised in Holdrege, Neb., Maunder attended the University of Nebraska and earned his bachelor’s degree in agriculture in 1956. He moved to West Lafayette, Ind., and added two Purdue degrees – a master’s in agriculture in 1958 and a doctorate in agriculture in 1960. He was awarded an honorary doctorate of science from Nebraska in 1991. Dr. Maunder was able to combine his education with opportunity to increase agricultural production worldwide during a period when the world’s population more than doubled. He gained recognition as a worldwide leader in plant breeding and genetics. A positive work ethic fueled by pure enjoyment of this research allowed him to excel in product development with some 150 forage and grain hybrids grown in more than 35 countries. He also contributed to state and federal academic activities through lectures, reviews and advisory committees, and provided financial support with grants and scholarships. He developed a strong interest in international agriculture and food security from a year of experience overseas as a high school senior as well as job related responsibilities throughout his career as Dekalb's worldwide sorghum research director. Plant breeding and genetic experience while a student at Nebraska and Purdue enabled Dr. Maunder not only to recognize the need for diversity of germplasm, but also to rely extensively on the utilization of the world collection. His humanitarian instincts were encouraged by both researching a traditional or subsistence crop for much of Asia and Africa and also by his opportunity to serve outside his main job responsibility as an external evaluator of United States AID research for 22 years. For his efforts, Dr. Maunder was promoted to the position of senior vice president at Dekalb in 1991. Although now semiretired, Dr. Maunder volunteers his expertise with the National Grain Sorghum Producers, federal and state programs, and private sector activities, including the World Food Prize. In his six years of retirement, he has given papers and written technical material for 13 conferences affecting 12 countries. Most recent recognition for his efforts were the Monsanto Distinguished Career Award and the American Seed Trade Distinguished Service Award.