David Zilberman named “IICA Chair” for contribution to sustainable development

November 17, 2021
Headshot of David Zilberman

David Zilberman was awarded the title of “IICA Chair in Bioeconomy and Sustainable Development” from the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) in a virtual ceremony on Friday, November 12, 2021.

Zilberman is a professor in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, where he holds the Robinson chair. His areas of expertise include agricultural and environmental policy, the economics of innovation, biotechnology and climate change. He was awarded the Wolf Prize in Agriculture in 2019

He is the author of many books on alternative energies and, in particular, on biofuels as the basis of a new energy matrix that is better aligned with current environmental concerns.

As a professor, Zilberman has advocated for the bioeconomy as a source of opportunity to leverage the development of the rural areas of the Americas and accelerate post-COVID-19 economic reactivation.

The bioeconomy is a vision that promotes smart industrialization using biological resources, which are converted into value-added products, such as bioproducts, bioenergy and services. It also seeks to tackle existing environmental challenges by mitigating the effects of climate change and reducing the use of fossil fuels.

Read more about Professor Zilberman and the award on the IICA website.