After serving for nearly seven years as scientific program director for the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research’s (FFAR) Food Systems Research Priority, Lucyna Kurtyka left FFAR in September 2022, to start a new chapter in her life.
Kurtyka joined FFAR in February 2016 as a senior scientific program director, bringing more than 20 years of nonprofit and private sector experience.
Prior to joining FFAR, Kurtyka was the global lead on food policy and international organizations at Monsanto Company, where she worked with intergovernmental organizations, national and international professional associations, other companies and governments to encourage science-based regulation, standards and oversight of crops and foods produced through biotechnology.
Kurtyka’s wealth of nonprofit sector experience covers many facets of the global food system. As a program officer at the National Academy of Sciences/National Research Council’s Board on Agriculture and Natural Resources, she managed projects in the areas of food and fiber systems, agricultural research, natural resource management and international trade and economics. At the International Life Sciences Institute, Kurtyka directed international projects related to the development and safety of biotech foods and to natural toxins and pesticide residues in foods.
Prior to that, while at AOAC International, Kurtyka oversaw the validation and approval process for analytical methods published in the Official Methods of Analysis, which are used in nutrition labeling and serve as standards for regulatory purposes in food safety, nutrition, agricultural commodities, pesticides and environmental quality.
Kurtyka holds a master’s degree in food technology from the Agricultural University in Krakow, Poland. She has committed her career to working toward food and nutrition security for future generations by applying her knowledge and experience to addressing today’s food and agriculture challenges.