The Philippines
October 16, 2015

The members of the Board of Trustees (BOT) of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) will gather at IRRI headquarters on 21-23 October for their regular meeting. On their agenda are several major topics, including the transition in directors-general. Robert Zeigler will complete his second and final term as DG in mid-December 2015. Matthew Morell, currently IRRI’s deputy director general for research, has been selected by the Board as the incoming DG, effective mid-December 2015. 

“The BOT will also discuss the challenge posed by the current flux in the CGIAR Consortium,” said Bruce Tolentino, deputy director general for communication and partnerships. “A result of the uncertainty in the CGIAR is the significant drop in donor contributions channeled through the CG system. Thus IRRI has to revitalize its linkages with the supporters of international agricultural research. The Trustees will assess and consider some options, taking care to ensure minimal negative impacts on personnel and ongoing scientific research,” Tolentino added. The board is composed of 15 members who are world leaders in their respective scientific disciplines. The current Chair is Emerlinda R. Roman, former President of the University of the Philippines. The board meets twice a year to review IRRI's research priorities, its allocation of resources, and to set the institute's scientific direction and decide on supporting policies and strategies.

Website: http://www.irri.org

Published: October 16, 2015