Officials named a director of curriculum development and director of research and policy for the Global Food Institute, according to a University release published earlier this month.

The release states Tara Scully, the director of the Sustainability Minor program and an associate professor of biology, will serve as the director of curriculum development, while William Dietz, the director of the Sumner M. Redstone Global Center for Prevention and Wellness and a professor in the Milken Institute School of Public Health, will serve as the director of research and policy. The hires come five months after officials launched the Global Food Institute, a research center for food policies, technology and sustainability, in partnership with “world-renowned” chef and former Commencement keynote speaker José Andrés.

Dietz will work with GW and external partners to research and grow policy initiatives related to the food supply chain, global health and climate change, the release states. Dietz said in an interview he plans to meet with faculty in November to discuss the “interrelationships” between climate change and food and “mobilize” faculty to think about ways to combat the increase in greenhouse gases.

“What I’m hoping is that this meeting of faculty will bring people together for common interests or common research initiatives around what kind of policies or strategies would help reduce meat consumption,” Dietz said.

Scully will create a new food studies curriculum by developing and redesigning classes from all of GW’s schools with the goal of initially creating a minor and eventually adding a major as more classes on food policy are added. The release states she will develop food policy, innovation and humanities classes as well as opportunities for students to meet with government, corporate and nonprofit professionals in the food studies field.

“I am very excited to continue to work with José and Bill to educate our future food leaders by engaging in action from local to global at our new institute,” Scully said in the release.

Officials began the search for the program’s executive director this fall, according to the Global Food Institute’s website.