Pushpa Kathir, Science Program Specialist with the National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the United States, has joined Keillr as an Embassy Science Fellow.
Pushpa Kathir is a Science Program Specialist with the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in Washington DC. At NIFA, she has provided leadership in administering competitive research programs for the last seven years. Prior to USDA, she was a Science Assistant with the National Science Foundation (NSF), Washington DC. Before joining the federal service with US Government, she served as a teaching faculty of the Northern Virginia Community College, Virginia for two years and as an Assistant Scientist with the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis for nine years. Pushpa received a B.S. degree in Botany from the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka and a Master’s degree in Genetics from Texas A&M University, Texas, USA.
She brings more than 20 years of experience in scientific research, laboratory administration, post-secondary teaching and competititive research program administration, including bioenergy programs in the federal government. She has co-authored more than ten peer–reviewed journal publications. She played a key role in generating the molecular map of the microalgae, Chlamydomonas genome. This algae is considered to be the future for bioenegy production.
The Embassy Science Fellowship Program (ESFP) is a competitive program that allows scientists and technical experts from United States Granting Agencies to conduct joint research and to share technical expertise with partner countries. As an Embassy Science Fellow, she plans to set up a Renewable Energy laboratory at Keilir Institute of Technology and arrange a speaker series on renewable energy in Iceland. She will also coordinate a summer program and short courses in renewable energy for students, as well as foster collaboration with scientists between US and Iceland in renewable energy area. Her work will further strengthen the bilateral cooperation between the United States and Iceland.