January 22, 2019

Organic Center names Sciligo to manage its science programs

< 1 minute read
The Organic Center said Amber Sciligo has joined its staff as Manager of Science Programs. As such, she will work closely with researchers, industry, farmers, and policymakers to identify organic research needs, facilitate project implementation and communicate scientific results across the organic sector. She also will lead The Center’s reports that compile current science on critical issues affecting organic food and farming, and head The Center’s grant-writing program.

Amber Sciligo

“We are thrilled that Dr. Sciligo is bringing her extensive experience in organic research to The Organic Center. She will be an invaluable asset to our team as we advance a powerful research portfolio to increase our understanding about organic food and farming,” said Jessica Shade, Director of Science Programs at The Center.

Sciligo received her Ph.D. at Lincoln University, New Zealand, in Ecology and Evolution with a specialty in plant/insect interactions. Her extensive postdoctoral work at UC Berkeley included several interdisciplinary projects that focused on population structure and health of honeybees and bumblebees in California. It also included participatory research in land access for Latino farmers in the California Central Coast, native bee pollination services to strawberry crops, and the costs/benefits to diversified farming within the organic sector using an integrated environmental, social and economic framework.

The main goals of her work have been to understand how farming practices that promote biodiversity and important ecosystem services can be more broadly adopted, and to inform research and policies to better include the needs of farmers so that their businesses can thrive, while preserving our land for future farming. Sciligo most recently conducted sustainability consulting in Ag and Food Production & Research.

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