Shull is an American botanist/geneticist who uses genetic engineering to help develop hybrid maize, in order to increase corn yields per acre for mass production, in partnership with Monsanto.

In 1905, Shull is appointed by eugenicist and botanist Charles Davenport to work at the Carnegie Institute’s Station for Experimental Evolution (SEE) at Cold Spring Harbor, New York. This begins a trend of genetically modifying indigenous seeds used for medicine and food.