b'A Wonderous WorkIowa State Universitys Seeds! Film seeks to reach the next generation.Melissa Shipmanmelissanshipman@gmail.comDR. MANJIT MISRAspent his early years on the familys sharecrop opera-tion near the Bay of Bengal in India, where he helped oversee harvesting for rice and sugarcane. He appreciates the environ-ment where he grew up, surrounded by banana trees and coconut trees. Its easy to imagine those impressive coconuts sparking a seed of wonder in his mind, even before he knew the inspired turn his future career would take.Seeds to me are truly wondrous, he says. They are a festival of colors and the miracle of nature.Misra has become passionate about the diversity and potential of seeds, from the tiny petunia seed to the large doubleManjit Misra believes that showing real stories about how impactful seeds are throughout coconut. He has devoted his life to study- the world will inspire younger generations and consumers to understand agriculture more.ing and sharing seeds with the world. At the center, Misra is driven by a pas- Misras mind when he watched a film in a Work and Wonder sion for helping feed hungry people, andscience center. The film focused on land As a scientist, Misra has largely focusedan almost awestruck appreciation for thedevastation after intense flooding, but this on seeds as the beginning of all agricul- potential that seeds offer society as awasnt a story of despair. The land was ture, but after he moved to the Unitedwhole.rebirthed through one sole surviving plant.States in 1971, he began by studying soilIf we have good seed, we can haveIt occurred to me that making a movie and water at the University of Missouri.good agriculture, and people becomemight be a good way to show some of the Even though his focus wasnt directly onhealthier, Misra says. And its not justbeauty of seeds to the rest of world, Misra seeds at the time, Misra says that thereimportant for the food we eat, but also forsays. was still a connection between seeds andeverything we come in contact with on aThe film is dedicated to David Lambert, water and soil. daily basis, from your cup of coffee in thea longtime friend to Misra, advisor to the It wasnt until he finished his PhD thatmorning to the energy we use. With seeds,seed center and one of the initial champi-he returned to the world of seed. Hethere is so much potential for the worldons of the idea to create the film.accepted a job at Iowa State Universityhiding in plain sight. He was a great hunger fighter, Misra and began his journey into the wondrousBut he didnt want to keep this realiza- says. He and I talked about making a world of seed science. tion to himself: its a message and a mis- movie to inspire the younger generations Cynthia Hicks, communication special- sion he wants to share with the world. Thisand the general public about the value ist for the Seed Science Center, says Misrapast year, he led the center in a creativeand beauty of seed.has led the Seed Science Center to grownew endeavor of creating a documentaryLamberts son, Walker Lambert, even-from a local campus unit into a world- style film on the wonder of seeds to givetually ended up producing and directing renowned center of excellence for seedthis message an even broader audience. the film, and he enjoyed working with science, technology and systems.Misra to carry on that dream. Hicks says the purpose was always toAn Inspired Idea Manjit is a visionary. He thinks big seed a food secure future, globally. The initial idea for the film was planted inand always goes for it, Lambert says. 46/ SEEDWORLD.COMSEPTEMBER 2019'