Boyce Thompson Institute president stepping down

After leading the Boyce Thompson Institute (BTI) for 17 years, David Stern has decided to step down as president but will retain the role during the search for his successor.

In the Ithaca area, Stern is also well-known for his role as president of the Ithaca Farmers Market Board of Directors, where he sells goods from his family’s Windsong Farm.

A remarkable example of ascending through the ranks, Stern arrived at BTI in 1989 as a young faculty member, rose to vice president of research and finally became president in 2004.

“All along the way, David has maintained his research program, teaching and mentoring students, a feat that has given him a strong scientific leadership perspective,” said Paul Chomet, president of Chomet Consulting LLC and vice chair of BTI’s Board of Directors.

During his tenure, Stern has overseen BTI’s evolution during the genomic revolution, as sequencing, bioinformatics and engineering technologies have changed the type of plant science research that can be done. His natural curiosity and openness to take risks have enabled the Institute to remain nimble and act quickly in times of both challenge and opportunity.

Stern’s many accomplishments include leading the Institute through economic downturns and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. He also helped launch the multiorganizational Plant Science Research Network (t.ly/UZUc).

“I believe that BTI research is best served by seeking and attracting curious, diverse and collaborative scientists, and helping them obtain support for their ideas, particularly for goals that are unconventional, open new areas of study or have strong potential for societal impact,” Stern said.

Greg Galvin, CEO of Ithaca-based Rheonix Inc. and chair of BTI’s Board of Directors, notes that Stern was reluctant to take on the role of president.

“His career had been that of a research scientist, and he was good at it and happy with it,” Galvin said. “Yet he stepped up to the challenge and learned many skills and gained knowledge in many areas he had not had to deal with before becoming president. A great leader and a scientist, David showed that the two are not incompatible.”

Stern’s research laboratory focuses on chloroplast biology, bioenergy and nuclear-cytoplasmic interactions, which he has expanded to include applications of these findings that could increase the sustainability of agriculture during this era of climate change.

“Much of the pleasure of my time as president has derived from the strength, resilience and creativity of the staff and leadership around me,” Stern said. “These individuals have been visionary in terms of how we shape and enhance our research, training and outreach programs, and in how we engage with the community and world around us.”

Jane Silverthorne, chair of the BTI Scientific Advisory Board and BTI board member, said Stern’s “many accomplishments as BTI president are the result of his deep commitment to the organization, its people and its mission.”

“He has excelled as a leader precisely because he understands that ‘people do science,’ and the job of the president is to enable their success,” Silverthorne said. “He steps down as president leaving BTI positioned to continue its well-earned track record in research and innovation and with the potential to strike out in new directions as the world changes.”

A committee of board members and BTI employees, led by Chomet, will manage the presidential search in collaboration with a search firm.

In terms of his Ithaca-area activities, Stern expects to continue those, though perhaps with “a little less stress.”

When asked what his plans are, he responded, “I don’t know. I have to retire to find out!”

Aaron Bouchie is a science writer at Boyce Thompson Institute, an independent nonprofit research institute affiliated with Cornell University. East Hill Notes are published the first and third Wednesdays of each month in Tompkins Weekly.