Source: NCSU COLLEGE OF AG & LIFE SCIENCES, 10/6/20


As walls go up on the new Plant Sciences Building, other aspects of the North Carolina Plant Sciences Initiative (N.C. PSI) are settling into place as well. The N.C. PSI has identified four new platform directors and the interim director of operations.

The platform directors are Ross Sozzani, platform director for plant improvement; Chris Reberg-Horton, platform director for resilient agricultural systems; Hannah Burrack, director of education and outreach; and the director for the fourth platform of data-driven plant sciences. These directors will lead and guide the initiative’s research, Extension and education activities. As director of operations, Geoff Bock will oversee operations of the Plant Sciences Building including equipment and maintenance and be involved in space assignments.

These N.C. PSI leaders have officially joined the N.C. PSI leadership team, though they have been involved with the initiative for years.

“The platform directors, individually, will do a great job leading their platform terms of providing the vision, support and goal-setting,” said Steve Briggs, the launch director for N.C. PSI. “The synergy they have in terms of their vision for the Plant Sciences Initiative and just how well they work together is amazing. There’s no doubt in my mind that we selected the right people for these platforms.

And Geoff Bock is the right person to pay attention to all of many details as the building is finished and starts to be occupied by researchers.”

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