CIAT research leader receives honor from North American scientific society
Joe Tohme, director of CIAT’s Agrobiodiversity Research Area, has been named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the world’s largest general scientific society.
Joe was chosen “for his distinguished contributions to the field of plant biotechnology, in particular for finding ways to reduce undernutrition caused by lack of micronutrients, using agriculture and genomics”.
His coworkers at CIAT celebrate his trajectory:
“Joe’s achievements represent the highest ideal of CIAT and the entire CGIAR consortium: to make use of agricultural science to benefit the most vulnerable population, the ones with the least resources on the planet”. Ruben Echeverría
“Joe is a visionary leader who inspires action. He motivates people to be the better than they already are”. Maya Rajasekharan
“For me, what sets Joe apart is his leadership and insistence on fair play. His integrity and respect for people’s feelings, always maintaining a level of professionalism”. Steven Beebe
“He is a leader who watches over and closely follows the personal well-being and professional development of his employees; this distinguishes him as a very human person. He is very observant. He finds, takes note of, and values all the activities that we carry out as his collaborators, always giving constructive opinions about them. What is more, his vision and scientific projection into the future enables him to rapidly identify what today’s agriculture needs, and thus enables us to maintain our research work at a high level of quality and with a high potential for impact”. María Camila Rebolledo
“Joe stands out for his confidence in young scientists and the value that he places on the potential of basic and applied science in Colombia and Latin America“. Luis Augusto Becerra
“Joe is extremely dedicated to science and people, this combination is special because it makes him a great person and leader”.
André Zandstra
“I emphasize his strategic, logical, congruent, and visionary thinking. Also his ability to listen and to identify the needs and motivations of each person, no matter what their level”. Maribel Cruz
“I respect his integrity, his ability to manage many issues at the same time, his openness to dialog, and to sharing knowledge”. Gloria Rengifo
“Joe is an exceptional leader because of his seriousness, his responsibility, and his human quality. He has many qualities of a great leader”. Pablo Vidal
“Joe’s commitment and tenacity are inspiring. This inspiration is necessary in order to give meaning to the effort made by everyone on his team”. Wilmer Cuellar
“Joe is an inspiring person, who, by his actions, sets an example for others. He is a very human and professional leader with a global vision and understanding, not only in science, but in other disciplines as well”. María Virginia Jaramillo
“I admire his patience and tenacity for resolving difficult situations of a scientific and administrative nature”. Carlos Cruz
“I consider that as a leader he has it all talent, ability, charisma, and, above all, respect and affection for his people. What we must do is support him in order to provide continuity for his projects and for science”. Rodrigo Monsalve
“Leaders with Dr. Joe’s charisma are rare in this world, and that is why they must be recognized. The leadership that our Joe reflects is something innate that cannot be easily acquired”. Esteban Bolaños