Faculty

Tony Shelton is Professor of Entomology at Cornell University's New York State Agricultural Experiment Station, Geneva, NY. His research interests relate to developing sound insect pest management strategies for vegetables with spin-offs for other crops. Components of his program stress insect population ecology; biological control; plant resistance; agricultural biotechnology; insecticide resistance; insect movement; trap cropping and plant productivity and marketability as a function of insect infestations. He has extensive international research experience working with partners in Asia and South America.

Frank Shotkoski is Adj. Professor of Plant Breeding at Cornell University and Director of the Agriculture Biotechnology Support Project II, managed by Cornell University. He has 25 years of academic and industrial experience in both agriculture and medical biotechnology. In his most recent position as Global Cotton Traits Technical Manager with Syngenta, Frank built a cotton biotechnology research program that resulted in the development of trait-based products. Prior to joining Syngenta, Frank held the position of Research Fellow at the Department of Medical Genetics, University of Washington and the University of Wisconsin. He was involved in oversight management of several global partnerships for biotechnology derived traits development that were initiated as part of ABSPII in Africa and Asia.

Jeffrey Wolt is Professor of Agronomy at the Biosafety Institute for Genetically Modified Agricultural Products (BIGMAP) at Iowa State University. His research interests include Biotechnology safety analysis applied to risk management and science policy decision-making; environmental and ecotoxicological risk assessment; soil and enviornmental chemistry applied to exposure assessment; environmental monitoring; environmental toxicology; environmental fate of xenobiotics and applied soil solution chemistry. Prior to joining Iowa State University, he was the Biotechnology Risk Analyst for Dow Agro Sciences, USA.

K. V. Raman is Assoc. Director, International Programs at CALS, Cornell University and has been involved in international agricultural development for over 25 years. His proficiency is in the area of integrated pest management, international technology transfer and biotechnology. Raman has had a long stint with CG Centers in Africa and South America during his research tenure and subsequently engaged in research and teaching at Cornell University, with focus on commercialization of agricultural biotechnology. He has led global consortiums to address the critical problem of Late Blight in Potato over the last ten years.

K. “Vijay” Vijayaraghavan is Co-founder of Sathguru Management Consultants. Vijay is exposed to a wide convergence of scientific and management best practices that have evolved over the years in the production of safe agricultural and processed food products. Vijay provides advisory services to the global food industry and investment bodies on appropriate technologies and is a recognized Technology Licensing Professional. Globally, he has been involved in building capacity among the food regulators and food industry stakeholders.He is associated with Cornell University in many of its life science related strategic initiatives. He is currently engaged in harnessing public and private research capacities in Asia, Africa and the Americas to address key constraints that are impeding crop productivity.

Desiree Hautea is a Professor of genetics, molecular biology and biotechnology at the College of Agriculture, University of the Philippines Los Baños. She manages several programs on crop improvement, biotechnology, genetic resources, and seed support systems, including participation in the development and implementation of relevant policies at the national and international levels. She is responsible for managing the ABSPII's South East Asia initiatives. She is a co-developer of transgenic products and is engaged in safety assessment of transgenic products that are developed by her in partnership with other international institutions.