With years of experience, Daniel Curry hopes to bring experience and new ideas to the ISU Seed Science Center.

Curry began the position of manager at the ISU Seed Science Center on April 10. Previously, he worked at the ISU Extension’s value-added agricultural program since 1996.

The former manager, Susana Goggi, was recently named an assistant professor in the agronomy department.

Curry’s duties include coordinating activities in the lab and processing more than 300 species of seed corn and about 40,000 seed samples a year.

Curry said one area of his new position especially interests him. “I’m looking forward to developing new programs,” he said.

However, Curry said he is excited about all the aspects of his new job.

“There’s nothing I’m not looking forward to right now,” he said.

Curry has been involved in seed science for many years, in both college and his career. Curry grew up in South Dakota where he graduated from South Dakota State University in Brookings, S.D., with a B.S. in agronomy.

After graduation, he worked for several seed companies in South Dakota, including the Seed Conditioning Science Center. He also worked as plant manager and assistant production manager for Curry Seed Company.

Goggi, who was on the search committee for the new manager, said the committee was looking for someone with management and marketing skills, as well as a preference for seed-related work.

“Of the four people interviewed, Dan was the best qualified,” she said.

In addition to being an assistant professor, Goggi will now serve as the Seed Science Center’s seed physiologist. With this position, the main focus is biology dealing with the functions and vital processes of seeds and their parts and organs.

Goggi’s new job also comes with new responsibilities.

“My duties include maintaining research programs with an emphasis on basic research to study seed development, germination and deterioration related to seeds of agronomic importance to Iowa,” she said.