In the scientific field, it is worth highlighting the background of Gustavo J. Fischer (1895-1958) who, in the fields of agronomy, genetics and plant varieties, anticipated the union of Science and Law currently embodied in Industrial and Intellectual Property by the protection of technological innovations.
Born in Montevideo in 1895, he moved to Germany as a child, where his studies at the Canstatt and Stuttgart schools resulted in a scientific and agronomic vocation. Once in Montevideo, he brilliantly completed the courses of the School of Agronomy in only four years (1913-1916). But his scientific training did not limit him, since he had a widely developed humanist culture. He spoke German, French, English and Portuguese, translated Swedish, Italian and Dutch, and had a general knowledge of the Russian language.
His activities were developed first in the National Institute of Seeds, "La Estanzuela", where he reached the position of Deputy Director in 1927 and was appointed Director of the Institute after the death of Dr. Alberto Boerger.
Fischer took part in important field and laboratory research projects in the area of plant pathology; He published more than 100 articles with his findings; and was recognized as an international authority in the field of agronomy.
Between 1928 and 1930, he was invited by the Argentinean government to head the Vegetable Genetics Division of the country. Between 1931 and 1939 he was head of the phytopathological laboratory of La Estanzuela, and was appointed Director of the Office of Agronomy, in charge of the Laboratory Section and Advisor of the Official Seed Distribution Service.
From 1939 to 1941, after a designation by the Brazilian government, he was an advisor at the National Agronomic Research Center, where he developed many research and testing on grains; He was the driving force behind the creation of the Instituto Agronómico del Sur in Rio Grande do Sul, and was appointed Ad Honorem Professor of the School of Agronomy of Brazil.
Fischer represented Uruguay in important international congresses in the fields of genetics, chemistry, phytopathology and biometrics and, due to his contributions to the scientific development of agriculture, received, among others, the Agricultural Merit Order of the Republic of Colombia, as well as many similar awards from the governments of Italy, Finland, the Netherlands and Great Britain.