Charles Block (ccblock@iastate.edu)
With expertise in seed health, plant pathology, and seed-borne plant pathogens, Charles Block serves as seed health testing coordinator at ISU’s Seed Science Center. He has nearly 40 years of experience in testing seeds for plant pathogens and in research on seedborne and seed-transmitted diseases. He is co-coordinator of the National Seed Health System (NSHS), a program authorized by USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and administered by Iowa State to accredit both private and public entities to perform activities needed to support the issuance of federal phytosanitary certificates for the international movement of seeds. The NSHS’ laboratory-based phytosanitary field inspections and seed health testing methods examine for pathogens in plants grown to produce seeds in fields, nurseries, or greenhouses. He earned his PhD and MSc in Plant Pathology from Iowa State, and his BSc in Chemistry from Briar Cliff University in Sioux City, Iowa.
A. Susana Goggi (susana@iastate.edu)
A. Susana Goggi is a world-recognized expert in corn and soybean seed physiology, reaching more than 1,300 stakeholders in the last three years alone with the seed physiology services, training, and advice she provides to seed industries worldwide. A professor in the Department of Agronomy at Iowa State, she investigates outcrossing and coexistence of transgenic and non-transgenic corn and develops statistical and pollen flow prediction models using meteorological, biological, and econometric approaches. She earned her PhD and MSc in Agronomy/Seed Science from Mississippi State University. Her BSc in Agronomic Engineering is from the Universidad de Buenos Aires in Argentina.
Adelaida Harries (adelaida.harries@gmail.com)
Before joining the Seed Science Center as a scientist, Adelaida Harries led the Argentine National Seed Institute’s policymaking in the areas of biosafety, plant variety protection, seed certification and testing, variety release, seed import and export, and phytosanitary issues. At the SSC, she served as co-leader of projects that harmonized seed policies and regulations in the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), and the Asia-Pacific region. She has extensive experience in seed policies and regulations related to seed certification, plant breeders’ rights, and quality assurance, which she now applies as co-owner of C&H, an independent consulting firm. A Fulbright scholar, she received her BSc in Agronomy and Engineering from the Universidad de Morón in Argentina.
Chessa Huff-Woodard (chessa.d.huff-woodard@usda.gov)
Chessa Huff-Woodard is branch chief for policy, program, and international collaboration at the Biotechnology Regulatory Services (BRS) of USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). She is a regulatory attorney and policy analyst whose scope of work involves providing guidance and recommendations to ensure that biotechnology activities are consistent with applicable statutory, regulatory and federal policies and guidelines, and that they support and/or take into account international standards and obligations. She analyzes regulatory policies, memoranda and position papers to develop and clear policy directives and maintain USDA positions relative to international treaties, agreements, or other arrangements. Chessa received her JD from the Widener University School of Law and her BA degrees in Health Policy Analysis and Medical Sociology from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Kayla Knilans (kayla.j.knilans@usda.gov)
Kayla Knilans is science advisor for biotechnology regulatory policy, and international policy, strategy and outreach at the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). She has extensive laboratory experience in immunology, infectious disease, and pharmaceutical science. Kayla earned her PhD in Pharmacology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a BSc in Chemistry from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Keunsub Lee (klee@iastate.edu)
Keunsub Lee is research scientist and assistant professor at Iowa State’s Department of Agronomy. His research focuses on the development and improvement of biotechnology tools for crop genetic transformation and genome engineering. Lee’s group aims to broaden the spectrum of transformable crops by engineering Agrobacterium strains and implementing new technologies for genotype-independent plant transformation. They have successfully implemented CRISPR/Cas9 and Cas12a systems for maize genome editing using a B104 inbred line, and expanded the application of CRISPR/Cas9 for targeted mutagenesis in fast flowering mini-maize (FFMM), rice, and the model plant Nicotiana benthamiana. He earned his BSc in Life Science from the Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) in South Korea, and his PhD in Plant Biological Sciences from the University of Minnesota.
Bobby Martens (martens1@iastate.edu)
Bobby Martens is the Iowa Institute of Cooperatives endowed professor of Economics at Iowa State. Before joining the Economics Department, he was associate professor of Supply Chain Management in the Ivy College of Business. Bobby earned his PhD from Purdue University and MSc. and BSc in Agricultural Economics from North Dakota State University. His primary research interests are supply chain network design, domestic transportation and supply chain risk, and food and agricultural supply chains. His extension function focuses on cooperatives and the supply chain in which they operate.
Dianah Ngonyama (drn@iastate.edu)
Dianah Ngonyama is Iowa State’s associate director of research administration and research integrity officer. She is also an affiliate faculty member of the Department of Animal Science and the Seed Science Center. She has more than 25 years of experience in the private sector seed industry, particularly in the areas of product development, stewardship, and regulatory policy and compliance. Her professional experience includes working with regulatory agencies, academics, policymakers, and other stakeholders in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific region on biotech applications. She holds a PhD in Corn Quality Traits from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, an MBA from Maryville University in St. Louis, MSc in Animal and Forage Sciences from the University of Reading in the UK, and a BSc in Agriculture (with honors) from the University of Zimbabwe.
Lulu Rodriguez (lulurod@iastate.edu)
Lulu Rodriguez is interim director and global programs lead at Iowa State’s Seed Science Center in which capacity she leads the preparation of interdisciplinary funding and grant proposals to support regional and national seed systems and programs. She oversees and manages funded international projects and partnerships. She has 25 years of experience in science and risk communication education, research, and outreach in support of national and international development efforts. She studies the communication of risks related to scientific and technological breakthroughs, as well as public understanding and acceptance of innovations that cause controversies or may be perceived as risky. She earned her PhD in Mass Communication from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, her master’s degree in Communication from Cornell University, and her BSc in Development Communication from the University of the Philippines at Los Baños.
Michael Stahr (mgstahr@iastate.edu)
Seed analyst and genetic technologist Mike Stahr manages the Seed Science Center’s Seed Lab, the largest public seed-testing laboratory in the world, employing a staff certified in purity, germination, and testing of biotech traits. Under his leadership, the Seed Lab conducts tests on more than 300 species of crops, vegetables, and flowers with a minimum of 24 million seeds per year. His technical expertise in seed testing is recognized by being elected to serve as the president of the Association of Seed Analysts (AOSA) twice and by receiving the association’s prestigious merit award. He was also given the Meritorious Service Award by the Society of Commercial Seed Technologists (SCST), an organization dedicated to research, proficiency, and improvement in seed testing. Mike earned his BBA in Business Administration and Management and his MSc in Agronomy and Crop Science from Iowa State.
Abilgail Walter (abigail.walter@aphis.usda.gov)
Abigail Walter is senior biological scientist at the Biotechnology Regulatory Services Division of USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). A pest management scientist, she has extensive background in invasion biology. Her current work responsibilities include pest risk assessment for genetically engineered plants and animals of agricultural importance while they are in the testing stages prior to USDA deregulation. Dr. Walter served as plant protection biologist for the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences where she focused on multitrophic interactions involving nematodes. She obtained her BSc in Environmental Biology/Zoology from Michigan State University where she also earned her MSc degree. She later worked for her PhD, also in Entomology, from the University of Minnesota—Twin Cities.