Sean Toporek

Sean Toporek has held various positions in plant pathology and agricultural research, currently serving as a Breeding Operations Associate at Bayer since September 2025. Prior experience includes roles as an Assistant Diagnostician at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, performing advanced diagnostics and developing molecular techniques for detecting plant pathogens, and as a Technician in the same institution’s Seed Potato Certification Lab. Sean was a Graduate Research Assistant at Clemson University, where research focused on seasonal changes in Pythium spp. Additionally, experience includes directing the SDSU Local Foods Education Center and serving as an Assistant Professor of Specialty Crops Pathology at South Dakota State University. Sean's qualifications include a Doctor of Philosophy in Plant Pathology from Clemson University, alongside a Master's degree in the same field, and a Bachelor's degree in Agronomy - Agroecology from Iowa State University.