Decades of research can lead to dismal, depressing failure. Everybody knows a brilliant former grad student and would-be genius who now mostly mows lawns, plays checkers and reads a lot.

Or the research might pay off with a world-changing breakthrough. That’s what happened to Philip Nelson.

For those who’ve just joined us, we’re blogging from Des Moines, IA, where tonight Nelson will accept the 2007 World Food Prize, the foremost international award recognizing the achievements of people who have advanced human development by improving the quality, quantity or availability of food in the world.

It’s big stuff.

Nelson developed a way of safely storing huge quantities of food for long periods without refrigeration. He and colleagues spent decades fussing with tanks, storage containers, valves and gauges.

At least once, it looked like he’d failed, wasted years of work. But he’d kept good records, he says, and he was able to see where he’d gone wrong and why he’d failed. He got back on track and eventually succeeded.

How did he avoid losing heart, face and shirt when encountering scientific setbacks?

At the Des Moines forum, Nelson gave his formula. Here it is:

1. Have a vision
2. Be madly passionate
3. Don’t plan on getting resources through normal channels
4. Be determined
5. Be prepared for skeptics and hurdles
6. Build a core of important believers
7. Be patient. Be patient. Be patient.
8. Teamwork
9. Dream big (because you  might get it.)

Sounds easy enough.

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