Ed Buckler is a geneticist with USDA-ARS and Cornell University with a love for maize, diversity, and computer programming.  His research is aimed at using plant diversity to improve the environment, human health, and energy availability.    He did his undergraduate degree at the University of Virginia in Biology and Archaeology, and a PhD in evolutionary genetics at the University of Missouri with Tim Holtsford, where he began his study of maize and population genetics.  He did a postdoc in statistical genetics at NCSU with Drs. Bruce Weir and Michael Purugganan.  Afterwards he was a USDA-ARS Research Geneticist in North Carolina State University’s Dept of Genetics.  In 2004, he moved his research to the USDA-ARS at Cornell University.  He is also an Adj. Associate Professor in Cornell’s Plant Breeding and Genetics Department.