GPI team
Scientific Committee
Terry Roberts
Terry L. Roberts is a soil scientist and agronomist with over 30 years of experience in the global fertilizer industry. He previously served as President of the International Plant Nutrition Institute and as President of both the Potash & Phosphate Institute and the Foundation for Agronomic Research. He currently provides consulting services to the fertilizer sector. Raised in Alberta, Canada, in a family-owned fertilizer business, he holds a B.S.A. in Crop Science and a Ph.D. in Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition from the University of Saskatchewan and has been a Certified Crop Adviser since 1999.
Tom Bruulsema
Tom Bruulsema is Chief Scientist at Plant Nutrition Canada, supporting nutrient stewardship programs for Fertilizer Canada, The Fertilizer Institute, and the International Fertilizer Association. He brings nearly three decades of experience working with the global fertilizer industry. Prior to the dissolution of the International Plant Nutrition Institute (IPNI) in 2019, he served as Vice President for programs in the Americas and for global research, and led IPNI’s Phosphorus Program from 2015 to 2017. He has also held academic and field roles in the United States and Bangladesh. Dr. Bruulsema holds degrees from the University of Guelph and Cornell University and is a Fellow of leading agronomy and soil science societies.
Cynthia Grant
Dr. Cynthia Grant is a soil fertility specialist and former research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, where she worked from 1986 until 2015. Her work focused on developing nutrient management practices that improve agronomic efficiency, support farm profitability, produce safe food, and reduce environmental impacts, with a particular emphasis on lowering cadmium levels in soils and crops. She has contributed extensively to the development and adoption of 4R Nutrient Stewardship. Author of more than 200 scientific publications, she has received numerous national and international honors, including induction into the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame in 2019, and continues to contribute to agricultural research and advisory initiatives.
Rebbie Harawa
Rebbie Harawa is an agricultural research and development expert specializing in soil fertility, agronomy, climate-resilient technologies, and agricultural value chains. She brings over 15 years of strategic leadership experience in international R4D programs and currently serves as Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT). Previously, she led soil fertility and fertilizer systems programs at the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) and held senior roles with UNDP and academic institutions. She holds a PhD in Soil Science from Cornell University and an MSc in Agronomy from the University of Malawi.
Shen Jianbo
Professor Jianbo Shen is a leading expert in plant nutrition and rhizosphere science, specializing in sustainable phosphorus use and nutrient efficiency. He is Chair Professor of Plant Nutrition at the College of Resources and Environmental Sciences and Vice Dean of the National Academy of Agriculture Green Development at China Agricultural University. He also serves as Director of the Soil and Plant Nutrition Committee of the Soil Science Society of China. Trained at China Agricultural University, with international research experience across Australia, Europe, and North America, his work focuses on plant–soil interactions, green fertilizer innovation, and reducing environmental risks. He has published over 150 peer-reviewed papers, is a recipient of major national science awards in China, and was recognized as a Clarivate Global Highly Cited Researcher (2019–2021).
Kazuyo Matsubae
Professor Matsubae is a professor of Environmental and Energy Economics in the Graduate School of Environmental Studies at Tohoku University in Japan. She was trained as an econometrician and earned her PhD in economics at Waseda University in Japan. Her current interest is the identification of supply chain risks through resource consumption from a life cycle perspective.
She started her professional career at the Department of Metallurgy, Tohoku University, and spent a year as a visiting associate professor at the Sustainable Minerals Institute, at the University of Queensland, Australia. She is a board member of the Socio Economic Metabolism section in the International Society for Industrial Ecology (ISIE-SEM), and is an Expert Adviser of the Waste and Recycling Subcommittee under the Industrial Structure Council for the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Japan.
Mike McLaughlin
Mike McLaughlin is Professor in the School of Agriculture, Food and Wine at the University of Adelaide and Director of the Fertiliser Technology Research Centre. His research focuses on soil and fertilizer chemistry and crop nutrition. He has authored more than 400 scientific publications on fertilizer chemistry, soil fertility, crop nutrition, and fertilizer contaminants, and holds several patents for novel fertilizer formulations. He holds degrees from the University of Ulster, the University of Reading, and the University of Adelaide.
Kaushik Majumdar
Dr.Kaushik Majumdar, Director General of the African Plant Nutrition Institiute, is a recognized leader in agricultural development. Dr. KaushikMajumdar brings over two decadesof experience in building sustainable agricultural systems through his focus on crop nutrition research, extension and capacity building. Previously, Dr. Majumdar was the Vice President of Asia and Africa Programs with the International Plant Nutrition Institute, where he coordinated plant nutrition research and outreach activities in China, Southeast Asia, South Asia, and Africa. He was the Interim Executive Director of GPI from June 2022-June 2023.
Robert Norton
Dr. Robert Norton is an agronomist and soil scientist with extensive experience in agricultural research, education, and international advisory work. He managed research, extension, and education programs at the University of Melbourne from 1981 to 2009 and continues to hold an Associate Professor appointment. He later served as Australia and New Zealand Director of the International Plant Nutrition Institute from 2009 to 2018. Now an independent consultant, he advises nationally and internationally on soil science and plant nutrition, with a strong record of scientific publications and industry recognition.
Leonardus Vergutz
Terry Roberts
Dr. Leonardus Vergütz is a professor and soil scientist currently establishing the Chair of Soil Science at Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P). An agronomist with advanced degrees in soil science and plant nutrition, he has extensive experience with highly weathered and acidic tropical soils. Prior to joining UM6P, he served as a professor at the Federal University of Viçosa in Brazil. His research focuses on soil–plant–human interactions to support sustainable and productive agriculture, and he has contributed to international policy work, including an EU–Africa initiative positioning soil security at the heart of the Green Transition in Africa.
Dr. Milkha Aulakh
Dr. Milkha Aulakh is a soil fertility and plant nutrition specialist with a long academic and research career in sustainable nutrient management. Trained in India and Canada, he served as Professor and Researcher at Punjab Agricultural University from 1974 to 2010, where his work advanced integrated nutrient management, phosphorus use efficiency, conservation agriculture, and greenhouse gas mitigation. He later served as Founder Vice Chancellor of Banda University of Agriculture & Technology. Author of more than 220 scientific publications and recipient of numerous international awards, he continues to contribute to sustainable agriculture through advisory and volunteer work.
Dr. Luis Prochnow
Dr. Luis Prochnow is an agronomist specializing in plant nutrition, with a strong focus on phosphorus and phosphate fertilizers. He holds a Master’s degree and Ph.D. from the University of São Paulo and has served as a professor at USP as well as a visiting scientist at the International Fertilizer Development Center in the United States. He spent twelve years as General Program Director for Brazil at the International Plant Nutrition Institute and coordinated the Nutrients for Life Initiative in Brazil. He is currently CEO of Plant Nutrition Science & Technology and a recognized contributor to global plant nutrition research, with more than 100 scientific publications.
Dr. Nathan Nelson
Dr. Nathan Nelson is a professor in the Department of Agronomy at Kansas State University, specializing in soil fertility and nutrient management. His research focuses on nutrient cycling, landscape-scale nutrient distribution, and improving the efficiency of phosphorus use in agriculture to enhance food production while reducing runoff to surface waters. He leads research at the Kansas Agricultural Watershed Field Laboratory, which examines the impacts of agricultural systems on water quality and develops best management practices. He holds degrees from Kansas State University and North Carolina State University and previously worked as a soil scientist with USDA-ARS.
Distinguished Fellows
Abdallah EL HOUARI
Abdallah El Houari is a senior expert in the phosphate sector with over 40 years of experience across industry, strategy, and international cooperation. He has held executive and advisory roles in marketing, strategic partnerships, and project development, including a decade dedicated to high-level consulting and strategic guidance for major initiatives. His career has taken him to phosphate mines and fertilizer plants worldwide, and he has contributed to the work of leading international organizations such as IFA and AFA. A chemical engineer and graduate of the Toulouse School of Chemistry, he has served on the boards of EMAPHOS and Prayon and continues to support the sector through his expertise and professional networks.
Esin Mete
Esin Mete is the former CEO of Toros Agri Industries in Turkey, with a distinguished career spanning more than four decades in the fertilizer and agribusiness sector. A chemical engineer and graduate of Boğaziçi University, she joined the Tekfen Group in 1973 and progressed from process engineer to CEO of Toros Agri, a role she held until 2015. She served as President of the International Fertilizer Association (IFA) from 2013 to 2015 and held leadership roles in several professional associations. Her contributions have been widely recognized, including a national award for the Zinc Project for Human Health and the “Officier du Wissam Alaoui” decoration from the King of Morocco.in 2011.
Klaus Leisinger
Dr. Klaus M. Leisinger is President of the Global Values Alliance and Professor of Sociology at the University of Basel, specializing in sustainable development, corporate responsibility, and business ethics. He founded the Global Values Alliance and spent nearly 40 years in senior leadership roles within a multinational pharmaceutical company. He serves as a senior advisor to the United Nations and as an expert on ethical judgment for the European Commission. A strong advocate for stakeholder dialogue and principled pragmatism, he promotes integrity and fairness as essential to addressing complex global challenges.
Mohamed AIT KADI
Professor Mohamed Ait Kadi is President of the General Council of Agricultural Development, a high-level policy think tank of Morocco’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development and Forestry. He previously served as Secretary General of the Ministry and Director General of the Irrigation Department. He chairs the Scientific Committee of the Adaptation of African Agriculture Initiative and is a resident member of the Hassan II Academy of Science and Technology. His international roles include membership in the Academy of Agriculture of France, Oslo’s International Academy of Water, and the International Advisory Council of the World Bioeconomy Summit.
Daniel Nahon
Daniel Bernard Nahon is a professor at the Institute of Political Studies of Aix-en-Provence, honorary professor of the Institut Universitaire de France, chair of Soil Science and scientific advisor of the Europôle de l’Arbois, and founder of CEREGE, European Center for Research and Education in Environmental Geosciences – Joint Research Unit at the University of Aix-Marseille/ Collège de France/CNRS/ IRD/ INRA- Europôle de l’Arbois. He is also a Member of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences.
James Elser
James Elser is Director of the Sustainable Phosphorus Alliance (SPA) at Arizona State University and a Bierman Professor of Ecology and Director of the Flathead Lake Biological of the University of Montana. Trained as a limnologist, Dr Elser is best known for his work in studying the cycling and impacts of limiting nutrients, such as phosphorus, in ecosystems and, most recently, in leading interdisciplinary efforts to advance phosphorus sustainability to protect waterquality while assuring sustained access to phosphorus for food production.