Appointments at ILRI and hosted institutions – October to December 2012

Iddo Dror joined ILRI as Head of Capacity Development on 25 October 2012. He has more than ten years’ capacity development experience gained in academia and international development, combined with experience in teaching, research, and fellowship administration.

Dror career track has included assignments with UN agencies and the private sector, several years at the University of Geneva setting up and running an innovative MBA program. Recently, he worked in India for over 5 years with the Micro Insurance Academy (MIA), an organization he co-founded and helped it transit to an international award-winning, ISO certified leader in its field, with over 65 staff and research & capacity development activities across a dozen countries in Asia and Africa. He has a PhD in Economic and Social Sciences and a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Geneva, Switzerland.

Klaus Butterbach-Bahl is Professor for Soil Ecology at the University of Freiburg, Germany, where he also did his habilitation. Since decades Klaus is cooperating intensively with scientists in China where he is a Research Professor at the Institute for Atmospheric Physics, Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.He received his PhD in natural sciences from the Technical University of Munich, Germany, and holds diploma in biology and geography from the University of Giessen, Germany. Klaus is on a joined appointment for ILRI and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research (IMK-IFU), Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. At IMK-IFU he works in the field of biosphere-atmosphere exchange processes as division head (BioGeoChemical Cycles) and group leader (Regionalization of biogenic trace gas emissions).

Pauline Gikemi joined ILRI as a Grants Accountant effective 1 October. Pauline holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Finance Major) degree from Strathmore University.She is also a Certified Public Accountant. She previously worked as an auditor at Deloitte & Touche and as a Chief Accountant at World Relief International.

Kimani Wilson has joined the BecA –ILRI hub as a, research technician-crops to assist in capacity building.He graduated from the University of Nairobi with honours in BSc Agriculture (Crop Science). He holds a masters degree in Genetics and Plant Breeding from the same University. His thesis project was Introgression of drought tolerance trait of sorghum from a donor parent to a Kenya farmers’ preferred variety. He gained experience in application of molecular genetics techniques after working with ICRISAT as a consultant technician from 2010 to August 2012. His interest is to use molecular tools for crop plant improvement to alleviate poverty.

Diriba Hika joined CIMMYT as Research Assistant IV – Global Maize Program on 14 November, 2012.Hika holds a MSc degree in Plant Breeding from Haramaya University and BSc degree in Plant Sciences from Haramaya University.Before joining CIMMYT he worked as an Agronomist with Farm Africa.Before joining ILRI he worked as an Assistant Sales Manager at Hilton Hotel, Addis Ababa.

Yohannes Derese has joined ILRI’s People, Livestock and Environment (PLE) theme, in the Forage Diversity Project as a Research Assistant II – Laboratory on October 17, 2012.Derese holds a BSc degree and a Diploma in Medical Laboratory Science from Addis Ababa and Alemaya Universities respectively. Before joining ILRI he worked as a Research Technician in Armauer Hansen Research Institute (AHRI).

Getachew Zemenu joined ICARDA Ethiopia – Drylamd Research Program as a Finance Officer on 19November, 2012.Zemenu holds a MSc degree in Accounting and Finance from Addis Ababa University and a BA degree in Accounting from Addis Ababa University. Before joining ICARDA Ethiopia, he worked as a Cost Analysis Manager with Ethiopian Telecommunication Corporation (ETC).

Admassu Wondimu joined ILRI’s Corporate Services Division – Housing and Catering unit as a Housing, Catering and Conference Services Manager on 15November, 2012.Wondimu has BA degree in Educational Administration from Addis Ababa University and a Diploma in Accounting from Addis Ababa University School of Commerce. Before joining ILRI he worked as an Assistant Sales Manager at Hilton Hotel, Addis Ababa.

Fite Getaneh joined CIMMYT as Research Assistant IV – Socio-Economics Program on 12 November, 2012.Getaneh holds a MSc degree in Remote Sensing and GIS from Addis Ababa University and BSc degree in Soil and Water Conservation from Mekelle University. Before joining CIMMYT he worked as a Spatial Data Capture Assistant in UNOPS, Water Resources Planning and Management Project, Nile Basin Initiative (NBI).

Grum Gebreyesus joined ILRI in Biotechnology Division – Animal Health and Genetics as Research Assistant IV – Animal Breeder/Geneticist on 4 December, 2012. Gebreyesus holds a MSc and a BSc degree in Animal Genetics and Breeding from Haramaya University. Before joining ILRI he was worked as a Dean of the School of Graduate Studies at Jigiga University.

Stuart Worsley, head of development partnerships

Stuart Worsley has joined ILRI as the head of development partnership for the CGIAR Research Program on Livestock and Fish. He will work closely with the Livestock and Fish CRP component leaders, value chain coordinators and scientific teams across four partner Centers (ILRI, WorldFish, CIAT and ICARDA). He joins ILRI’s CGIAR Research Program on Livestock and Fish team from the SNV Netherlands Development Organization where he served as the regional director for the Balkans based in Albania. Stuart will be based at ILRI, Nairobi. Worsley has 25 years of experience in the development sector and has particular expertise in livestock systems and agricultural value chains, and more especially in beef and dairy system management. He lived and worked for several years in East Africa, and earlier in Indonesia, Afghanistan, and Egypt.

Wanjala N. Fridah joined ILRI in the DDG-R office as a Research Technician II focusing on ‘Data Systems Management’ on 1st December 2012. She holds a Bsc Mathematics and Computer Science degree from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT). She has been as a statistics and data management intern at both KEMRI and ILRI and an Assistant Data Analyst in the Research Support department – ILRI.