Boyce Thompson Institute appoints its first female president

ITHACA, N.Y. — The Boyce Thompson Institute (BTI) has announced the appointment of Dr. Silvia Restrepo as the research institution’s ninth and first female president.

She will assume the position in October, succeeding David Stern, who has served as president of the organization since 2004.

The “historic” appointment comes as BTI prepares to celebrate its centennial in 2024, the organization said in its May 23 announcement. Opened in 1924, Boyce Thompson Institute is a life-sciences research institution located in Ithaca.

“We are thrilled to welcome Silvia to BTI. Her extensive experience and numerous accomplishments in experimental plant science and scientific leadership align perfectly with BTI’s mission,” Stern said in the BTI news release. “She will be an inspirational leader who will propel BTI researchers and staff to new heights of discovery and impact.”

Restrepo currently serves as the vice president for research and creation at Universidad de los Andes in Bogotá, Colombia, where she is also a professor in the chemical and food department. She formerly served as the head of the biological sciences department and dean of the School of Sciences, BTI said.

Born in Bogotá and having lived in Paris, France, and Ithaca before returning to Colombia, Restrepo is known for her work fostering leadership engagement through new policies and practices and for developing “interdisciplinary and inclusive” research programs, BTI said.

“BTI is a world-class institution with a rich history of discovery,” Restrepo said in the release. “I am deeply honored to assume the role of president, particularly as the first woman to hold this position, and am eager to contribute to BTI’s mission of advancing plant and life sciences and training the next generation of scientists.”