Katherine Sixt, Ph.D.
She also supports the Chief Scientist in building partnerships within the scientific community and developing and implementing and developing and implementing research security and scientific integrity policies. The Office of the Chief Scientist advises on the implementation of the Department’s research priorities, including agricultural systems and technology; precision nutrition and food quality and safety; agricultural economics to enhance farmer profitability; and expanding domestic markets for plant and animal products. This work supports innovation, agricultural productivity, and rural prosperity for America’s farmers, ranchers, and foresters.
Prior to joining USDA, Dr. Sixt served as the Principal Director for Biotechnology in the Office of the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering. In this capacity, Dr. Sixt led the Department of War’s research and engineering efforts to advance military capabilities through biotechnology innovation and maintain a competitive advantage in biotechnology. Dr. Sixt also spent over a decade at the Institute for Defense Analyses in Alexandria, Virginia, focusing on national security research, where she served as the Assistant Director of the Strategy, Forces, and Resources Division.
Dr. Sixt holds a Ph.D. in biochemistry, cellular and molecular biology from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland, a master’s in law from the Geneva Academy in Geneva, Switzerland, and a bachelor’s in biochemistry from St. Bonaventure University in St. Bonaventure, New York. She is an adjunct professor at the Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.
