Michel Salas is the new CIRAD Regional Director for Languedoc-Roussillon
16/05/2011 - Press release
Michel Salas was appointed CIRAD Regional Director for Languedoc-Roussillon on 10 May 2011, a post for which he has been seconded by the MAAPRAT (French Ministry of Agriculture). He has replaced Jacques Pagès, who has been appointed Deputy Director General for Resources and Installations at CIRAD.
Michel Salas, 50 years old, Inspector in Chief of Public Veterinary Health, is a qualified veterinary surgeon (Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse) with a PhD in animal production (University of Paris XII).
He began his career in the West Indies as a researcher (analysing animal production systems) with CIRAD and INRA. His subsequent scientific career included overseas postings with CIRAD (Burkina Faso and New Caledonia), during which he also conducted research on natural resource management.
After 15 years of scientific research with CIRAD, he switched to the Civil Service and local administration, and was appointed Deputy Director of veterinary services in Guadeloupe. Michel Salas subsequently returned to the research and higher education sector, becoming General Secretary (in 2003) and then Director of Agropolis International in Montpellier. These eight years at the head of the Agropolis International team, in addition to the managerial aspect of the job, also allowed him to become very familiar with the landscape and institutions of the Languedoc-Roussillon region and to participate in numerous collective projects.
As CIRAD Regional Director, Michel Salas will be involved in managing the CIRAD Lavalette (Montpellier) and Baillarguet (Montferrier le Lez) campuses and the various related bodies. He will also represent CIRAD in its relations with a range of partners on a regional level, particularly as regards implementation of an ambitious local scientific policy, within which CIRAD has a major role to play as the region's largest research organization in the.
CIRAD's international cooperation and exchange operations in the Mediterranean also fall under the Languedoc-Roussillon regional office, and Michel Salas is determined to step up CIRAD's commitment to this region, which is of strategic importance for research and agricultural and food security issues.
As a civil servant seconded by the MAAPRAT, he will also be in charge of monitoring links with the ministry.
Michel Salas is married with two children.
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CIRAD
, the Agricultural Research Centre for International Development,
is a French research centre working with developing countries to tackle international agricultural and development issues.
CIRAD i
n Languedoc-Roussillon
has three sites covering a total of 18 ha, with 32 000 m² of offices and laboratories and 2 500 m² of greenhouses.
It has a staff of 1150, including more than 500 researchers.
CIRAD works with its regional scientific and institutional partners, keeping a close watch on the issues for both people and the planet, on complex challenges such as alleviating poverty, preserving biodiversity, the search for new energy sources, producing safe, diversified food, and anticipating health risks and emerging diseases.
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- Category: Institutional