Baskut Tuncak, Staff Attorney, Chemicals Program

Baskut Tuncak is a Staff Attorney with the Chemicals Program at CIEL.  In addition to representing CIEL at global negotiations on the management of industrial and agricultural chemicals, Baskut is also engaged in reform efforts at national and regional levels.  Drawing on his background in the biotechnology and chemical industries, Baskut focuses on how to spur the innovation of safer chemistries through the modernization of outdated and ineffective laws.

Before joining CIEL’s Washington D.C. office, Baskut worked out of CIEL’s Geneva office, representing CIEL in international negotiations on intellectual property and chemicals management.  He has spoken frequently on technology transfer, human rights and the environment at conferences organized by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and others.  Baskut is participating in a multi-stakeholder dialog on climate change and intellectual property, and serves on the International Advisory Committee of Public Interest Intellectual Property Advisors. 

Before joining CIEL, Baskut worked as synthetic chemist, specializing in DNA synthesis, for small companies in biopharmaceuticals and synthetic biology.   He received his B.A. in Chemistry from Colby College and his J.D. from the Seattle University School of Law (cum laude).  Baskut has lived and worked in Hong Kong, where he also studied Chinese law.  Baskut speaks English (mother tongue), Turkish and French.

Mr. Tuncak can be reached at btuncak@ciel.org.