Sonny Ramaswamy

Sonny Ramaswamy
President of the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
Incumbent
Assumed office July 2018
Personal details
Born	1952 (age 72–73)
Spouse	Gita N. Ramaswamy
Alma mater	University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore Rutgers University Harvard University
Website	Official biography

Sonny Ramaswamy (born 1952) is an Indian-American agricultural scientist and the current president and CEO of the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. He formerly served as Director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture. ^[1]

Early life and education

Sonny Ramaswamy was born in Hyderabad, India, and grew up in Bangalore as the youngest of four boys. ^[2] He graduated from St. Joseph's Indian High School, a Jesuit school in Bangalore, and later, from the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture in 1973 and a Master of Science (Agriculture) in entomology in 1976. He then earned his Ph.D. in 1980 in entomology from Rutgers University. Following, Ramaswamy undertook postdoctoral research on the sex pheromone of insects from 1980 to 1982 in Ring Cardé's laboratory at Michigan State University. In 2001, Ramaswamy completed Harvard University's executive Management Development Program. ^[3]

Career

Ramaswamy was professor of insect physiology and graduate program coordinator in the Department of Entomology at Mississippi State University from 1982 to 1997. He was University Distinguished Professor and Head of the Department of Entomology at Kansas State University from 1997 to 2005. In 2002, Ramaswamy received the Presidential Award for Outstanding Department Head. He envisioned and created the K-State Insect Zoo.

Ramaswamy's personal research was funded with grants from federal agencies, including NIFA, NSF, NIH, EPA, and USAID, and from state agencies, commodity groups and industry. He has published over 150 journal articles, book chapters, a book, and has a patent, and is the recipient of several awards and honors, including fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, fellow of the Entomological Society of America, the Hutchinson Medal from the Chicago Botanic Garden and the Leader in Agriculture Award from Agriculture Future of America.

Between 2006 and 2009, Ramaswamy directed Purdue University's agricultural research programs, facilitating success on numerous grant-funded projects in support of multi- and trans-disciplinary research and education projects on bioenergy, climate change, water, agroecology, and food security and production agriculture.

In 2009, Ramaswamy moved to Oregon State University to serve as dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences and director of the Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station.

On May 7, 2012, President Barack Obama appointed Ramaswamy to serve as director of the United States Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). ^[4]

He was one of the signatories of Statement on AI Risk (2023) open letter. ^[5]

Family and personal life

Ramaswamy is married to Gita Ramaswamy who previously served as professor of textiles, administrator and senior advisor to USDA's chief scientist. They have a daughter.^{[ citation needed ]}

References

1. "Administrator of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture: Who Is Sonny Ramaswamy?". AllGov.com. Retrieved March 10, 2012.
2. Mortenson, Eric; Oregonian, The (March 10, 2012). "Sonny Ramaswamy, ag dean at OSU, adapts and grows everywhere he goes". oregonlive. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
3. "Ramaswamy_CV_May 2021" (PDF).
4. "President Obama Announces Intent to Appoint Dr. Sonny Ramaswamy as Director of USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture". www.usda.gov. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
5. "Statement on AI Risk". Center for AI Safety . 30 May 2023. Retrieved 2025-10-08.

External links

• Official Curriculum Vitae
• Sonny Ramaswamy Chosen to Head NIFA
• Obama appoints Indian Americans to key administration posts
• OSU dean to lead top food and agriculture agency