My primary area of research from 1970 to 1987 involved maize breeding for disease and insect resistance. I also worked on cassava, beans and other International crops during this tenure at Cornell. I left Cornell for a position as Vice President, Director of World Wide Research and Development for Cargill Hybrid Seeds in 1986 where I managed research in 26 countries world wide. I returned to Cornell in 2002. Since returning, I am primarily involved in teaching, including supervising distance learning programs.

I currently teach Pl Br 403, Genetic Improvement of Crop Plants. PB 403 is offered every Fall semester and covers the basics of traditional breeding methodologies and the application of new technologies such as molecular technologies to improve major crop species.
A second major activity ongoing is a distance learning program with the African Center for Crop Improvement, ACCI, This is a cooperative project between Cornell and the University of Kwazulu-Natal in South Africa. My lectures for Pl Br 403 have been video-taped and are shown to students in Africa via video streaming over the internet or via CD' s. After the students have viewed several lectures, we meet via video-conference to discuss the material. I also coordinate reviews of student thesis proposals by experts here at Cornell and world wide and provide students with guidance in the preparation of their dissertations. I travel to South Africa two to three times a year to maintain personal contact.

Recently, I have been appointed Associate Director for a cooperative project between Cornell and the University of Ghana at legon. The project is the West Africa Center for Crop Improvement, WACCI. The program is modeled after ACCI and will train 8 PhD's in Plant breeding per year over a 10 year period. I will spend 6 months a year in this capacity, much of that time in Africa
I am also involved with the a distance learning proram in Thailand which is improving the curriculum content of traditional and molecular courses in plant breeding. In Thailand, I coordinate selection of digital video taped lectures and the schedules of Cornell faculty visits to Thailand to contribute to this project.

I also have served as a consultant for the Food and Agricultural Organization , FAO, and participated in the development of a Global Initiative for Plant Breeding Capacity Building, GIPB. This in itiative will provide policy guidance on plant breeding capacity building including training and sharing of technology, germplasm and information.