BIO: Volenec is a Professor of Agronomy at Purdue University. His research focuses on understanding alfalfa growth and stress tolerance. He teaches two course to advanced undergraduate and graduate students; Agronomy 505, Forage Management; and Agronomy 525, Crop Physiology and Ecology. He also has an Extension appointment where he answers producers forage-related questions. He obtained his BS degree in Agronomy at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and his MS and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Missouri-Columbia.