A portrait of N. P. Neal, Bledisloe Medalist 1954. Born and educated in Marlborough, N. P. Neal took the combined diploma and degree courses, his course being broken by a short service period towards the end of World War I. In 1921 he took the B.Agr. and B.Sc. degrees and then was on the College staff for two years, working with Dr. F. W. Hilgendorf on his pioneer wheat improvement programme. In 1924 he went to the University of Wisconsin, Madison, U.S.A. where he has remained since then. His academic and professional progress at Madison has featured Master of Science (1927), Ph.D. (1935), research assistant in genetics and agronomy (1928-31), instructor in genetics and agronomy (1932-36), assistant professor (1936-41), associate professor (1941-43), professor of agronomy and genetics (1943).