Catherine Swoboda
Catherine Swoboda
Director of Iowa and Midwest Education Programs
The World Food Prize Foundation
Catherine joined the World Food Prize staff in September 2011 as Director of Iowa and Midwest Education Programs. She directs the World Food Prize Iowa Youth Institute - an educational program for Iowa high school students and teachers. The program inspires students to pursue educational and career paths in STEM fields, while fostering global awareness, to prepare the next generation of Iowans to address the global challenges of the 21st Century.
Catherine earned her degrees from Iowa State University. She has a bachelor of science in agronomy and a master of science in crop production and physiology. She has worked in agronomic field research across the state of Iowa for ISU and conducted research in tropical agriculture and food security in Costa Rica and Brazil. Prior to joining the World Food Prize, Catherine worked in the Science Policy Office of the Agronomy, Crop and Soil Science Societies of America in Washington, DC, where she worked with congress, the administration and federal agencies on environmental and agricultural science policy. Catherine was appointed to the Governor's STEM Advisory Council by Iowa Governor Terry Branstad in 2011.
Catherine was a Borlaug-Ruan International Intern in Brazil, and a Wallace-Carver Intern in Washington, DC.You can contact Catherine at 515-245-3727 or by email at cswoboda@worldfoodprize.org
