New Subprogramme 4 Leader

Tuesday, 24 June 2008 18:00

Following the recent Subprogramme 4 Leader recruitment GCP is delighted to announce Graham McLaren as the successful candidate to head our Bioinformatics and Crop Information Systems Subprogramme (SP4) on a full-time basis.

Graham, who will take on the reins from current SP4 Leader, Theo van Hintum, on 15 September this year, holds a wealth of qualifications and experience in the field of international agricultural research and management. Theo steps down on 30 June to return to Wageningen University full time. Theo has headed SP4 on a half-time basis since its foundation in 2004, during which time he has ably steered the Subprogramme. He leaves behind the legacy of a full-fledged Subprogramme that has evolved from a development phase and is now entering a management phase. Theo will be greatly missed.

With a degree in Mathematics, Statistics and Genetics from the University of Natal, South Africa and an honours degree in Mathematical Statistics  from the University of Cape Town, Graham, a British national,  went on to gain a first-class MSc and PhD in Mathematical Statistics from Simon Fraser University, Canada. He has headed biometrics and bioinformatics departments for the past 20 years. In this capacity, Graham has held leadership positions in rainfed rice breeding, genetic resources management and development of crop information systems. This includes heading the Biometrics and Bioinformatics Unit at IRRI in 1993, before moving on to his current role as head of the IRRI–CIMMYT Crop Research Informatics Laboratory (CRIL).

We very much look forward to having Graham on board later this year. Please join us in welcoming him to the GCP team!