DuPont News, October 23, 2008
Pioneer Scientist Named Iowa ‘Inventor of the Year’
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| Marc Albertsen |
The Iowa Intellectual Property Law Association has named Marc Albertsen, a
Pioneer Hi-Bred scientist, as its 2008 “Inventor of the Year.” The award is given to an Iowa inventor who has made the most outstanding contribution to Iowa through his or her invention.
Marc invented a process to simplify the development of hybrid seed by creating a process to turn off the production of pollen in certain parental lines of corn. The invention paved the way for new seed production technologies that have the potential to revolutionize the way hybrid seed is produced by the industry. His invention was patented in the U.S. in 1999, adding to the more than 30 patents he has been granted during his professional career.
“This award exemplifies the dedicated, passionate approach that Marc takes to the scientific discovery work he tackles every day to improve seed production technology,” said Bill Niebur , vice president, DuPont Crop Genetics Research and Development. “I congratulate him for his important contributions to Pioneer and the seed industry.”
Marc received a bachelor’s degree in botany and a master’s degree in plant breeding and cytogenetics from Iowa State University, and a doctorate in plant breeding and genetics from the University of Minnesota. He joined Pioneer, a DuPont business, in 1981 as a research manager and today oversees a department focused on research to improve the performance and value of crop plants.
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