Peter Burnett, PhD

Peter Burnett was appointed director of the Grain Research Laboratory (GRL) on January 17, 2005.

He is a native of New Zealand who began his career in 1968 as an entomologist-pathologist with the Crop Research Division of the then Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR). He completed both his M.Ag.Sc. and his Ph.D while working for DSIR .

From 1982 to 1991 Peter worked in the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center in Mexico to ensure that material being incorporated into the barley-breeding program possessed resistance to all common barley diseases.

He joined Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) in 1991, leading the plant science section at AAFC's Lacombe Research Centre. Peter became the Assistant Director at the Lethbridge Research Centre in 1996. With the director, Peter coordinated the 70 scientists and 370 staff in scientific studies and established research priorities. From September 2001 to August 2004 he served as the Acting Director at Lethbridge Research Centre and from July 2002 to August 2004, was also the Acting Science Director for Field Crops.

Before joining the GRL he acted as site manager for the Cereal Research Centre at AAFC in Winnipeg and then as Science Director for Cultivar Development and Genetic Enhancement.

Peter is married to Alison and they have three children: Ben, Sam and Anne.