Professor Ogden Wernstrom

"WERNSTROM!"

- Hubert Farnsworth

"The very same."

- Ogden Wernstrom

Professor Ogden Wernstrom is a recurring antagonist on the animated show Futurama. Wernstrom was an old student of regular cast member Professor Hubert Farnsworth and competes with him over scientific achievements. While both are amoral to a degree, geniuses and gifted scientists, Wernstrom tends to have the advantage over Professor Farnsworth mainly due to suffering less senility than his mentor as Farnsworth is in his 180s and Wernstrom is a spry 120.

A Big Piece of Garbage
Ogden Wernstrom was a student at Mars University where Hubert Farnsworth was a scientific professor. Ogden was Farnsworth's most gifted student but the two eventually came to odds when Farnsworth gave him his first "A-", due to an issue of penmanship. Despite Ogden's irate outburst at grade Farnsworth remained unfazed and refused to change the grade. Wernstrom swore from that moment on to get revenge on Farnsworth if it took him a hundred years. In the episode Big Piece of Garbage, nearly one-hundred years after Wernstrom's threat, Farnsworth's senility gets the better of him and he realizes he had already presented his invention, a death clock, the previous year. In an effort no to be embarrassed Farnsworth quickly throws together a new invention, a smell-o-scope, which he tries to assure his peers could detect odors from across the reaches of space. Wernstrom seizes the opportunity to point out the absurdity of Farnswroth's notion and it's spotty presentation and proclaims the idea deserves the lowest grade imaginable, an "A- -"! Soon Farnsworth realizes he had already invented his idea and starts testing it to prove his brilliance. In his olfactory exploration of the universe Farnsworth soon discovers the stinkiest object in the known universe, a meteorite composed of pure garbage (Launched into space years ago to solve New York's waste problem once and for all.) Farnsworth discovers the garbage ball is headed towards earth and will crash into New New York reducing into a stinking crater. Farnsworth attempts to warn the mayor, only to have his warnings dissuaded by the mayors science adviser, Wernstrom, however when Neptune calls to report seeing and smelling the garbage ball passing them Farnsworth re-credited.

Though Farnsworth attempts to solve the problem for the Mayor regaining his credibility his senility once again catches up with him and his invention goes off early leaving the garbage ball too far along to be stopped. With Farnsworth's plan fizzled out the Mayor turns to Wernstrom to solve the problem. Wernstrom demands several things before dealing with the problem, tenure, a research grant, access to a lab, and five graduate students "at least three of which are Chinese", he specifies. The Mayor agrees to the terms and asks what his plan is, Wernstrom quickly admits that he has no plan but since the Mayor had already agreed to his terms he was set for life. Wernstrom then flees to quickly take advantage of his new resources. Luckily Farnsworth's great great etc. grand-uncle Philip J. Fry comes up with the idea to knock the ball out of the way with a second ball of garbage. After some quick calculations Farnsworth gives the mayor an exact measurement for amount of garbage needed and the mayor orders residents of New New York to quickly begin filling the quota by temporarily halting their recycling habits. Wernstrom continually taunts Farnsworth at the launch saying it will never work and they were all about to die horribly. Despite Wernstrom's comments the plan does work and New New York is saved for the time. Wernstrom's academy prize his seized from him and given to Farnsworth for the achievement and Wernstrom renews his vow of revenge even if it takes him another hundred years.

Series progression
Since the experience Wernstrom has been hired by Earth's President Richard Nixon, whose head has been revived and suspended in a jar and ran for president again on the loop-hole that "no body" can be elected twice and he no longer had a body. As Nixon's adviser Wernstrom often gives Nixon the quickest most efficient way to solve problems ignoring ethical issues of the action, Nixon being...Nixon... is all to happy to take advantage of such advice. Most episodes focusing on Farnsworth feature either Wernstrom or MOM, professor Farnsworth's lover, as a main antagonist. While Wernstrom constantly tries to undermine his rival he is willing to work with him when the entire planet is in danger. Towards the final episodes Wernstrom, apologizes to Farnsworth and admits he had always admired him and was mainly acting out of insecurity and jealousy. Sceptically at first, Farnsworth soon realizes Wernstrom is being honest and the two resolve to end their rivalry in-favor of building off each-other's work.