Albert “Jody” Vander Wal Retires After 41 Years
Albert “Jody” Vander Wal is retiring on April 30, 2022, after 41 years as the one constant person in the dry edible bean project at North Dakota State University.
Vander Wal grew up in Linton, ND, and completed a B.S. in Zoology at NDSU. His first day of work was June 15, 1981, in the brand new dry edible bean project led by Dr. Kenneth Grafton. He was hired as the research technician and was later reclassified as research specialist. Grafton moved on to administrative positions at NDSU, and in 2007, Dr. Juan Osorno became the breeder for the program. Currently, one research technician, two postdoctoral scientists, five graduate students and several undergraduate students also work in the program.
The dry bean breeding program had 3.5 acres of experiments at three locations in 1981 and by 2020 the project had grown to approximately 40 acres across seven locations. Vander Wal was actively involved in the development of more than 12 well-known dry bean varieties and the development of improved germplasm with resistance to disease and other agronomic traits. Vander Wal says, “I am fortunate to be able to say that I have seen everything that this program has developed from the beginning to what we have now become.”
He has enjoyed working in cooperation with other departments and researchers at NDSU including plant pathology, soils and entomology and with other dry bean breeding programs throughout the country and world.
Vander Wal says that one of the most enjoyable parts of his job has been to watch a line develop from the first cross in the greenhouse to sending a promising line to the winter nursery, planting it in the field in North Dakota, making selections and watching as it is released 8 to 12 years later. “It gives me a lot of satisfaction to think that I had a part in the development of that variety.”
He has adapted to changes in technology, saying that in 1981, there were no cell phones or computers. He remembers that all his field notes were handwritten and reports were typed on a typewriter. Since then, he has curated thousands of lines/genotypes every year, curated all breeding records, digitized all the bean breeding program data and never stops learning. He says he likes using a computer and, “I love cut and paste.”
Vander Wal has received several awards during his career. In 2020, he was honored by the Bean Improvement Cooperative (BIC) with their Technical Merit Award. Recently, he received the NDSU Ag Week Golden Bison Award, which is given to someone who has made great contributions to agriculture and NDSU students throughout the individual’s career.
Osorno credits Vander Wal for much of the success of the program. “Jody’s vast amount of knowledge and experience made my work possible,” said Osorno. “I always knew I could rely on Jody to take care of all the details of running the research program. I’ve had a successful career as a breeder and scientist thanks in part to having someone like Jody working with me.”
Vander Wal plans to move to Beulah, ND, where he will spend more time with family and grandkids and more time doing some of his many hobbies including hunting, fishing, taxidermy and making turkey wingbone calls.
