Ross Bender Email & Phone Number

Cleveland, Wi

What an impactful position! This role is responsible for training internal and external stakeholders on complex scientific concepts and new products using interactive approaches that translate to sales growth (1,500-3,000 participants across some 50-75 meetings annually). This involves synthesizing small plot and on-farm research data into commercial deliverables that address customer needs from a country-wide to local level. This role aids in the development of new products, serves as a subject matter expert with marketing in various sales collateral and interview pieces, and promotes balanced crop nutrition and 4R nutrient stewardship. Awesome job!

Urbana-Champaign, Illinois Area

Leadership, teamwork, and content delivery was a focus of my time at the University of Illinois. My role was to lead a team of technicians, visiting scholars, and fellow graduate students in the design and implementation of 15,000-20,000 annual corn, soybean, and alfalfa research plots. Funds were sourced through grant proposal and industry collaboration efforts, and shared across more than 100 retailer, collaborator, and industry meetings.

Buenos Aires, Argentina

I had the wonderful opportunity to spend two months researching the physiological determinants of maize grain weight in a series of RILs. Throughout this experience, I also spent time phenotyping other key traits: Anthesis-Silking Interval (ASI), leaf area for determination of the Leaf Area Index (LAI), and morphological characteristics used in the estimation of plant biomass. This phenomenal experience further improved my ability to communicate in Spanish, especially to a professional working proficiency.

While serving as a second-year intern for Monsanto’s Technology Development team, I was exposed to numerous research-based opportunities throughout the Midwest. My contributions helped obtain regulatory EPA approval for the industry’s first Refuge-In-Bag (RIB) seed corn. I also collaborated with several universities successfully identifying corn germplasm for improved Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE).

Monsanto honored my request to experience agriculture from a different perspective during this opportunity. While based out of Memphis, TN, my Local Field Adviser (LFA) internship allowed me to explore the agronomic practices necessary to improve cotton, soybean, and corn production in the Mississippi River Delta region.

During a three-month internship located in Nebraska, I assisted the District Plant Manager in overseeing 3,500 acres of seed corn throughout the detasseling season. Supplemental leadership roles allowed me to create field boundaries and maps on over 10,000 production acres and implement research for delayed seed corn planting.

Phd, Crop Physiology

Activities and Societies: Treasurer-Crop Sciences Graduate Student Organization, Certificate in Business for Scientists, Crop Physiology.

Ms, Crop Physiology

Activities and Societies: Crop Physiology Laboratory, Wesley Evening Food Pantry, St. Peters United Church of Christ, Volunteered.

Bs, Crop And Soil Sciences