USDA-ARS: Dr. Alfonso Clavijo Named Director of USDA National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility
MANHATTAN, KANSAS, October 1, 2019—Dr. Alfonso Clavijo has been appointed as Director of the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF), a state-of-the-art U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) research and diagnostic facility designed to protect the nation’s agricultural systems and stakeholders against the threat and potential impact of serious animal diseases.
“Dr. Clavijo brings with him a wealth of technical knowledge in the diagnosis of transboundary, emerging and zoonotic diseases,” said Dr. Chavonda Jacobs-Young, Administrator for USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS). “As NBAF’s first permanent director, his extensive leadership experience will be a great asset in helping NBAF achieve its vision of being a national asset that protects U.S. agriculture and consumers through cutting-edge research, diagnostics, training, and development of vaccines and other countermeasures.”
ARS partners with USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to operate NBAF. The facility is currently under construction by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) with commissioning scheduled for completion in 2021.
Clavijo, who starts October 13, will play a key role in ensuring the smooth transition of responsibility from DHS to USDA once the 574,000 square-foot facility becomes fully operational in 2023.
Prior to his appointment at NBAF, Clavijo served as Laboratory Executive Director of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s (CFIA) National Centres for Animal Disease, which operates laboratories in Winnipeg and Lethbridge. As Director, Clavijo oversaw the administration of diagnostic services, related technology development and research to detect and prevent transboundary, emerging and zoonotic animal diseases.
He also directed the management of biosafety level (BSL) 2-4 facilities that allow for the contained study of pathogens that cause foreign animal diseases, including foot-and-mouth, African swine fever, classical swine fever and highly pathogenic avian influenza.
Under Clavijo’s leadership, CFIA’s National Centre for Foreign Animal Diseases in Winnipeg was named by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) as reference center for emerging and zoonotic pathogens.
Clavijo’s leadership also earned him Canada’s 2018 President’s National Award in “Leadership in People Management.” This prestigious honor cited Clavijo’s exemplary people-management skills and his demonstration of excellence in advancing CFIA goals, values and ethics as a human resources manager.
Clavijo has held leadership or advisory positions at CFIA laboratories, as well as Kansas State University, Texas A&M University, the Pan American Health Organization, and National University in Bogota, Colombia.
Clavijo earned a doctorate degree in Veterinary Microbiology/Virology while attending the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, from June 1990 to March 1995 and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from National University in Bogota, Columbia, 1986.
Clavijo has published numerous scientific works and continues to serve as an adjunct professor or advisor at affiliate organizations.
The Agricultural Research Service is the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s chief scientific in-house research agency. Daily, ARS focuses on solutions to agricultural problems affecting America. Each dollar invested in agricultural research results in $20 of economic impact.
BACKGROUND: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is working with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to bring online a new National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) in Manhattan, Kansas. This state-of-the-art facility will be a national asset that helps protect the nation’s agriculture, farmers and citizens against the threat and potential impact of serious animal diseases.The DHS Science and Technology Directorate is building the facility to standards that fulfill the mission needs of the USDA which will own, manage and operate the NBAF once construction and commissioning activities are complete. USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will conduct foreign animal disease research, training and diagnostics in the facility.