Our Organization

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Organization and Management of the International Wheat Yield Partnership

Science and Impact Executive Board (SIEB) – The SIEB is the top level of governance and decision making body for IWYP, and is led by an independent Chair. The SIEB provides the highest level scientific and strategic direction for IWYP. Specific duties include approving terms and objectives for IWYP Competitive Funding Calls, recommending funding for selected projects, overall financial considerations and annual budgets; reviewing progress, determining IWYP’s future needs, and approving IWYP’s overall Science Program direction and associated integrated Program work plans. The SIEB is comprised of representatives from our Consortium Partners (funding and research organizations) and Executive Level Private Members.

The SIEB currently consists of one representative each from the following funding or research organizations: Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council of the United Kingdom (BBSRC), Grains Research and Development Corporation of Australia (GRDC), United States Agency for International Development (USAID), United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service (USDA ARS), United States Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA NIFA), International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, in Spanish, Centro Internacional de Mejoramiento de Maíz y Trigo (CIMMYT), Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food, and Environment of France (INRAE), and the Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture (SFSA). In addition, private Industry representation on the SIEB includes Syngenta, Pioneer, BASF, Limagrain, KWS, SeedCo and InterGrain.

Management – The administration, operations and coordination of the Science Program is managed by an independent management team led by the Program Director. The Program Director is assisted by the Secretariat which consists of the Program Manager and Program Assistant. For the technical and delivery aspects of the Science Program, the Program Director is advised by the IWYP Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC). The SAC is an ad hoc committee invited by IWYP to serve on a 2 year rotation basis. Members include select researchers from IWYP funded projects, outside public experts and representatives from private industry.

flavellSIEB Chair – the SIEB is led by an independent Chair who is responsible for communication of high level items, leading the SIEB meetings, gaining consensus and guiding overall decision. The Chair plays a leading role in strategy development, evolving the Science Program and the execution of the Strategic Plan. The Chair also serves as the functional manager of the Program Director.

The current SIEB Chair is Richard B. Flavell, PhD, FRS, CBE.

SIEB Vice Chair – The Vice Chair is chosen among the funding partner representatives. The primary duties of the SIEB Vice Chair is to assist the Chair in many of the duties as described above and serve as the Chair in the absence of Dr. Flavell.

GWYNPICProgram Director – The Program Director is an ex-officio member of the SIEB and the independent manager of IWYP responsible for overall administration and operations. Importantly, the Program Director is charged with coordinating the IWYP Science Program, as directed by the SIEB and guided by the IWYP Strategic Plan, to ensure delivery of the milestones and goals of IWYP. This will be realized by pushing discoveries from the research phase to outputs, integrating these discoveries to generate added value and ultimately the delivery of novel germplasm to breeding programs worldwide via the IWYP Hub at CIMMYT.

The current Program Director is J. Jefferson Gwyn, PhD.

MARKProgram Manager – The Program Manager assists the Program Director in the major operational and scientific facets of the IWYP Program. This includes leading the activities for Public-Private Partnerships and recruiting Aligned Projects, certain communications aspects including the IWYP website and overall management of the Secretariat function. The Program Manager is also key is aligning and tracking IWYP science projects and oversight of the IWYP Hub at CIMMYT.

The current Program Manager is Mark C. Sawkins, PhD.

Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) – The SAC’s role is to advise IWYP Management relative to:

  • Keeping current with world-wide wheat / crop research
  • Assessing the progress of IWYP funded projects as to deliverables, outputs, timing, impact
  • Nomination of research outputs to the IWYP Hub
  • Needs and scope for future Competitive Funding Calls
  • Identifying and assessing outside research projects to bring into IWYP as Aligned Projects
  • Linking to other national programs, new technologies, etc.
  • Coordination / integration of projects within the IWYP Program including new opportunities as they emerge
  • Identifying potential IP or deployment considerations / barriers
  • Other technical and operational issues as needed

The current members of the SAC are:

Public expert representatives

  • John Snape (John Innes Center / CIMMYT, GBR)
  • Mark Sorrells (Cornell University, USA)
  • Peter Langridge (University of Adelaide, AUS)

Private sector representatives

  • Rollin Sears (former Syngenta / current consultant, USA)

IWYP funded research project representatives

  • Simon Griffiths (John Innes Center, GBR)
  • Stuart Roy (University of Adelaide, AUS)
  • Eduard Akhunov (Kansas State University, USA)