Name: Candice A.C. Gardner   Title: Research Leader / Supervisory Plant Biologist Organization: USDA-ARS-MWA-PIRU Role/Crops/Team: Dr. Gardner serves as the Research Unit’s Research Leader and the Coordinator of the NC-7 Project, a Cooperative Multi-State Project between the State Agricultural Experiment Stations of the North Central Region and the USDA-ARS. Her role is to ensure that the expertise, fiscal and operational management of the plant genetic resource collections and associated information held in Ames is well-executed. Special Interests: Currently, Dr. Gardner’s interests focus around development of resources and tools that improve the effective management of the collections and associated information, their availability and utility to researchers, and new uses of crops. Her expertise is in maize breeding and genetics with a focus on stress tolerance, stability of performance, and disease and insect resistance. Education: Ph.D. Maize Breeding and Genetics, University of Missouri, Columbia, 1982. M.S. Plant Pathology, University of Missouri, Columbia, 1979. B.S. Bacteriology, Iowa State University, 1975. Employment History: 1999-Current: Research Leader of the PIRU, USDA-ARS, Ames, Iowa. 1998-1999: Biotechnology Development Specialist, Aventis, Iowa. 1982-1998: Maize Research Manager, Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., Missouri.