Oceanographer He Named Goodnight Innovation Distinguished Professor
The College of Sciences has named Ruoying He of the Department of Marine, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences as a Goodnight Innovation Distinguished Professor. The professorship was made possible by a gift from longtime NC State supporters Jim and Ann Goodnight.
Ruoying He is a prominent oceanographer who joined the NC State faculty in 2007. His research expertise includes ocean circulation dynamics, air-sea interaction and marine physical-biogeochemical interactions. As the director of the Ocean Observing and Modeling Group, he leads a team of researchers that conducts coastal ocean observations; performs remote-sensing data analyses; and develops predictive models of ocean circulation, air-sea-wave interactions and physical-biogeochemical couplings.
“We’re excited to honor Roy He’s extraordinary contributions to his field and our college,” said Chris McGahan, dean of the College of Sciences. “Support from the Goodnights and other generous donors helps make the college a welcoming place for researchers who are doing important and exciting work.”
He has been awarded nearly $10 million in research grants, including a 2017 Chancellor’s Innovation Fund award. He has authored or coauthored more than 100 scientific publications and participated in 24 ocean research surveys as the chief scientist/scientist.
He is a member of the National Science Foundation Ocean Observatories Initiative Facility Board, a member of the National Academy of Sciences’ Gulf Research Program Loop Current Study Committee, a member of the Integrated Ocean Observing System National Modeling Steering Team, and a science team member of the International Global Ocean Data Assimilation Experiment (GODAE) OceanView project. He serves on the editorial boards of several scientific journals and on the organizing committees of several major international science meetings. He was also the 2017 co-chair of Gordon Research Conference on Coastal Ocean Dynamics.
Jim Goodnight is CEO and a co-founder of SAS, the world’s largest privately held software company. SAS emerged from NC State’s Department of Statistics when Goodnight was on its faculty in the 1970s. Ann Goodnight, a 1968 College of Humanities and Social Sciences graduate, is the senior director of community relations at SAS. She is a member of the NC State Board of Trustees and the Friday Institute National Advisory Board. The Goodnights are generous supporters of the College of Sciences and the university, establishing several professorships and the Goodnight Scholars Program and serving as co-chairs of the Think and Do the Extraordinary Campaign for NC State.
