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Get to know the new director of the Texas Water Resources Institute
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For more than seven decades, the Texas Water Resources Institute (TWRI) has helped Texans solve critically important water problems. The institute welcomed a new leader in 2024, Giovanni Piccinni, Ph.D., now TWRI director and a professor in Texas A&M University’s Department of Soil and Crop Sciences.
Piccinni previously served as the global lead for field and plant production optimization and sustainability at Bayer Crop Science in St. Louis. Before that, he served in research and leadership roles at Texas A&M AgriLife Research in Amarillo, Bushland and Uvalde from 1994 to 2008. Learn about his vision for the institute in this question and answer with txH2O.
txH2O:
What were you most looking forward to about leading TWRI?
Piccinni:
The institute boasts a rich legacy of conducting extensive research and providing education on the sustainable utilization of water resources. I look forward to continuing TWRI's work of building teams that leverage the research, extension and education expertise in the Texas A&M University System and at TWRI to provide premier water resources research and programs that ultimately improve communities and lives.
Last fall, I began visiting all the AgriLife centers and getting together with all the departments that work in water resource management, and I have greatly enjoyed those visits.
We have so much technical expertise in water research and extension in the Texas A&M System, and TWRI is poised to continue bringing together experts from across the system and beyond to solve water problems.
txH2O:
Your early career research centered on agronomy and crop physiology. What did you enjoy most about those fields and leading research programs in those areas?
Piccinni:
The first part of my career was full of research opportunities that all involved crops, soil, water resources, water conservation and water management. I was able to study agricultural systems ranging from tomatoes to wheat, sugar beets, corn and other crops. What really motivated me to eventually lead my own lab at the Uvalde Center was looking at water resource management for sustainable cropping systems.
Establishing the plant stress physiology program at Uvalde was an amazing opportunity. We researched the water-use efficiency of crops under stress, prediction models for irrigation management, precision agriculture techniques using remote sensing evaluation of plant stress and irrigation management under limited water availability.
We were always looking for opportunities for farmers to use water resources in the best way possible, in the most sustainable way, but also in the most profitable way.
txH2O:
In 2008, you began working at the Monsanto Company in St. Louis, Missouri, conducting biotechnology research and agronomic trials studying gene responses in corn and soybeans. What are you most proud of from your time at Bayer Crop Science, formerly Monsanto?
Piccinni:
I am very proud to have served on the teams that helped develop a new variety of drought-tolerant corn, saving producers both water and money.
Serving as Bayer’s global lead for field and plant production optimization and sustainability beginning in 2018 was an honor and opportunity I deeply enjoyed. As a scientist, I thrive in a diverse environment. That role allowed me to meet with our international teams and experience so many different teams and places all around the world. I greatly enjoy working with people from different cultural and scientific backgrounds.
I’m also very proud that we always prioritized sustainability, even when I was on the production side, or biotechnology, or supply chain — we always looked at ways to help grow more and consume less.
txH2O:
What is your vision for leadership at TWRI and for the institute’s future?
Piccinni:
As a leader, collaborative and strong teams are my core philosophy, both internally and externally. Empowering and building interdisciplinary teams of researchers is a top priority for us.
Building consensus among stakeholders, explaining the value of cutting-edge technologies and empowering research excellence to improve the lives of the people we serve, the communities where we live, the state, the nation and ultimately the world — that is the vision I plan to lead at TWRI.
Photos (from left to right): Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Uvalde Director Daniel Leskovar, Ph.D., with Piccinni at the center; Brent Auvermann, Ph.D., Berthold and Piccinni view construction progress at the future Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at West Texas A&M University in November 2024; (center) Giovanni Piccinni, TWRI director, photo by Michael Miller, Texas A&M AgriLife Marketing and Communications; (right) TWRI leadership visits with Robert Mace, Ph.D. at the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment at Texas State University; and TWRI leadership visits with leadership and researchers at the Polytechnic University of Bari, Italy.
txH2O:
Texas is facing interconnected and compounding problems with both water quality and supply. After leading TWRI for several months, in what water issues do you see TWRI and Texas A&M AgriLife especially poised to serve the state and residents?
Piccinni:
After extensive travel across the state, it is evident that many regions that faced significant water resource challenges 16 years ago, when I relocated from Texas, continue to experience these issues. The severity of these challenges has worsened over time, with some areas now facing even more dire circumstances.
Given this, it is clear that current efforts focused on water conservation must be supplemented by the exploration of alternative water sources. We are actively supporting research initiatives that examine the viability of using saline water for crop irrigation, as well as projects investigating the potential of utilizing produced water from oil and gas. After appropriate treatment, this alternative water source could provide a viable solution for some irrigation needs. There is substantial opportunity for progress in this area, but the critical issue remains the speed at which we can implement effective solutions to address the ongoing water scarcity crisis.
The key to success will be achieving tangible results and fostering rapid innovation.
txH2O:
Besides your new role as TWRI director, what else have you looked forward to about returning to Texas?
Piccinni:
Texas holds a special place in my heart, filled with memories I treasure every single day. It is where both of my kids, who are now young adults, were born, where I began my career as a scientist and where I purchased my first home — each of these moments still brings me joy. But what I hold most dear are the people of this incredible state. The farmers and ranchers have always welcomed my family and me with warmth and kindness. The friendships I formed in Texas have had a lasting impact on me, shaping my passion for agriculture and deep love for the land. I have been thrilled to reconnect with old friends, spend quality time together, and, of course, enjoy some delicious Texas steak!
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Authors
As communications manager, Leslie Lee leads TWRI's communications and marketing strategy and team, manages TWRI's publications, and coordinates effective communications support for TWRI's numerous projects serving the state of Texas.