Name: Irvin Larsen   Title: Agricultural Science Research Technician (Plants) Organization: USDA-ARS-MWA-PIRU Role/Crops/Team: Mr. Larsen is the Research Technician for the Oilseeds Project at NCRPIS. He provides technical support for sunflower, cuphea, cultivated flax and miscellaneous oil seed accessions. Mr. Larsen’s primary responsibilities involve managing field and greenhouse regenerations. He organizes field and greenhouse work, including germinations, transplanting, controlled pollinations, harvesting, and monitoring for disease and pest activity. He records observational and descriptive plant notes. He manages the collection of digital images to associate with each accession: field and/or greenhouse images, flower and leaf scans and seed images. Mr. Larsen trains and supervises student employees to maintain regeneration plots, harvest and process seed, and to work on imaging. Mr. Larsen manages sunflower seed germination tests and enters data and results into the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN) database. In 2010, Irv Larsen was awarded the 2010 NPGS Special Achievement Award for outstanding service in support of the Oilseeds Collection. Special Interests: Mr. Larsen is always seeking techniques to improve seed germination, to maintain better plant health, and to innovate seed processing methods. Education: B.S. Economics, South Dakota State University, 1974. Employment History: 1996-Current: Agricultural Science Research Technician (Plants), NCRPIS, USDA-ARS, Ames, Iowa.   1993-1996: Biological Science Technician (Plants), NCRPIS, USDA-ARS, Ames, Iowa. 1992-1993: Research Aide, NCRPIS, USDA-ARS, Ames, Iowa.