Yu-Chun (Patty) Liao Former staff
Patty is responsible for stakeholder engagement, partnership development, and resource mobilization to promote agrobiodiversity. Her work covers: partnership building and stakeholder engagement; event organization; preparing proposals and fundraising initiatives; communications to highlight the activities of Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture; scientific engagement; and consolidating the Alliance’s presence and expanding into new regions and countries.
Within the Alliance, Patty has gained extensive knowledge from working across science, administration, finance, and operations. She has cultivated strong relationships both internally and externally, including with farmers’ associations, UN agencies, international organizations, (inter)government offices, NGOs, research institutes, universities, and private companies. She has played a central role in strengthening scientific collaborations, coordinating major proposal submissions such as Horizon Europe, and overseeing the commercialization of a patented technology. In addition, she undertakes project design and execution for the conservation of genetic resources, while streamlining internal processes and demonstrating strong cross-functional management skills. Patty also trained as a Canva (graphic design tool) and SAP Concur (travel management tool) Champion within the Alliance and CGIAR. Her broad understanding of the institutional processes and internal policies enables her to effectively bring together scientific teams and support departments.
More recently, Patty co-organized the 3rd International Agrobiodiversity Congress in Kunming, China which welcomed over 800 participants from 60 countries, and she also contributed to the subsequent Kunming Manifesto.
Patty trained as a research scientist in semiconductor physics in the UK. She holds master’s degrees in chemistry (Imperial College London) and in materials science and engineering (University of Liverpool), and she completed experimental studies as a PhD candidate in physics (University of Cambridge). She has also completed research internships at the California Institute of Technology in the USA and Academia Sinica in Taiwan, co-authored a best-selling book in Taiwan, and held positions at an international law firm in Brussels before joining the Alliance. Beyond her professional career, Patty founded and managed a program supporting refugees arriving in Belgium fleeing the war.
Elected in the 2024 local elections, Patty has been serving as a city councillor in Leuven, Belgium since December 2024, while continuing her role at the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT. She is also a board member of the non-profit organization DiversLeuven, where she continues to advocate for diversity.
