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The World Food Prize Foundation announced today that Dr. Wendy Wintersteen, president of Iowa State University, has joined the World Food Prize Council of Advisors.
“As President of Iowa State University, I am proud of the long partnership between Iowa State University and the World Food Prize. I look forward to serving on the World Food Prize Council of Advisors as we seek to bring more attention to the grand challenges of malnutrition and food insecurity,” Dr. Wintersteen said.
On the Council, Dr. Wintersteen will review, advise and guide the World Food Prize leadership on their policies as well as the design and implementation of Foundation programs. Dr. Wintersteen will also participate in appointing members of the World Food Prize Laureate Selection Committee and endorsing the Selection Committee’s choice of a new Laureate each year.
“From the very first day John Ruan Sr. rescued the World Food Prize and re-planted it here in Iowa, Iowa State University has been an absolutely essential partner in ensuring that it thrived and grew. Now with the critical involvement of President Wendy Wintersteen on our Council of Advisors, our Foundation can only continue to blossom into the great Nobel-like institution that Norman Borlaug envisioned when he created the Prize 32 years ago,” said Amb. Kenneth M. Quinn, President of the World Food Prize Foundation.
In her previous position as Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Dr. Wintersteen has supported the World Food Prize. For the past six years, Iowa State University has hosted the annual Iowa Youth Institute, a World Food Prize educational program that allows high school students to learn about fighting hunger and the importance of STEM subjects. Since the inception of the program, the Iowa Youth Institute has engaged over 1,000 students from more than 225 schools across Iowa and continues inspiring students to fight hunger and to explore STEM career paths.
Since she started working at Iowa State in 1979, Dr. Wintersteen has served as the endowed dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, director of the Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Experiment Station, professor of entomology and more. Recently, Dr. Wintersteen was selected as one of Des Moines Business Record’s 2018 Women of Influence for her leadership at Iowa State.
Dr. Wintersteen earned a Bachelor of Science in crop protection from Kansas State University and a doctorate in entomology from Iowa State.
Press Contact:
Nicole Barreca, Director of Communications and Events
515-245-3735, or by email at nbarreca@worldfoodprize.org
ABOUT THE WORLD FOOD PRIZE: The World Food Prize is the foremost international award recognizing the achievements of individuals who have advanced human development by improving the quality, quantity or availability of food in the world. The Prize was founded in 1986 by Dr. Norman E. Borlaug, recipient of the 1970 Nobel Peace Prize. Since then, the World Food Prize has honored 48 outstanding individuals who have made vital contributions throughout the world. The World Food Prize annually hosts the Borlaug Dialogue international symposium and a variety of youth education programs to help further the discussion on cutting-edge global food security issues and inspire the next generation to end hunger.
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