SONNY RAMASWAMY received his B. Sc.
(Agriculture) and M. Sc. (Entomology) degrees from the University of
Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, India. His Ph.D. in entomology is from
Rutgers University. He is a graduate of the University of Nebraska's New
Academic Chair's Program and Harvard University's Management Development
Program.
Sonny was on the faculty at Mississippi State University from August 1982 through 1997. As an insect physiologist, he worked on the integrative reproductive biology of insects. He was named head of entomology at Kansas State University in 1997. He was named KSU Presidential Outstanding Department Head in 2002 and University Distinguished Professor in 2004.
From 2006-2009, Sonny served as Director of Agricultural Research Programs and Associate Dean for Research in the College of Agriculture at Purdue University. He provided leadership for research programs in agriculture, food, and natural resources, including fiscal management, and regulatory functions assigned by the Indiana State Legislature.
On August 1, 2009, Sonny became the dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences and director of the Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station. He provides overall leadership for the College's programs at the Corvallis campus, at the OSU Cascades Campus in Bend, and OSU programs at Eastern Oregon University in La Grande; for-credit extended education; informal education through the Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources Extension Program; and research at the main campus and 11 branch experiment stations throughout the state. As chief administrative officer of the college, he is the principal external representative of the College and the Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station, and shapes and guides the College's external relations, marketing, legislative and alumni relations, friend-building, fund-raising, and development activities. He is a member of the senior leadership team of the University, participating in institutional strategic planning, goal-setting, and resource allocation. He also works collaboratively with the deans of other colleges to help ensure cross-college planning, coordination, joint programs, shared faculty appointments, and other activities that advance the University's goal of collaboration and interdisciplinary education.
Sonny has been the recipient of research grants from various federal agencies such as NSF, NIH, USAID, EPA, USDA, state agencies, commodity groups, and industry. He has mentored a number of students and postdocs. He has published nearly 150 journal articles, book chapters, and a book. He has received a number of awards and honors as a scientist and department head, including being named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Fellow of the Entomological Society of America, and Distinguished Graduate Alumnus of Cook College, Rutgers University.
Sonny is married to Gita, an associate dean in the Graduate School at Purdue. Their daughter, Megha, a recent graduate of City University of New York, is an Assistant Professor in Preventive Medicine at the University of Kansas Medical Center. Their son-in-law, Andrew Park, is an ER physician in the Level 1 Trauma Center at the University of Kansas Medical Center. They reside in Kansas City. Their dog, Atuk, is an Alaskan Malamute.
Sonny enjoys reading, crossword puzzles, Sudoku, Apple computers, the Theatre, and riding his Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
