Ray was a Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of Hawaii at Manoa (UH), where he also was interim director of the Water Resources Research Center at UH, which like the Nebraska Water Center (NWC) is part of a network of more than 54 water resources research institutes that were established by Congressional mandate in 1964. Most of these centers are located at state Land Grant Universities.
In Hawaii, Ray also served as Director of the University’s Environmental Center and as Chief Environmental Engineer for the Applied Research Laboratory, a U.S. Navy sponsored facility at UH.
Prior to joining the UH faculty in 1997, Ray held positions in industry and at the Illinois State Water Survey. The holder of a Ph.D. in civil engineering from the University of Illinois, he has extensive experience in many facets of managing both water quantity and water quality issues.
Ray replaces NWC interim director Suat Irmak, a UNL irrigation engineer and Harold W. Eberhard Distinguished Professor of Biological Systems Engineering in UNL’s Depart of Biological Systems Engineering. Irmak had been NWC’s interim director since January 2012. Bruce I. Dvorak, an environmental engineer and Chair of UNL’s Department of Civil Engineering, preceded him as interim director, from September 2009 to November 2011.
Soil scientist Mark Kuzila, state geologist and head of UNL’s Conservation and Survey Division within UNL’s School of Natural Resources, was acting interim director of the NWC between Dvorak and Irmak’s appointments.
Ray, who also carries an academic appointment as a professor in UNL’s Department of Civil Engineering, said he was attracted to UNL “As the NWC was trying to find an individual who is versed with domestic water issues, including drought and irrigation and at the same time aware of global issues.”
He said he was also “Very excited to know that this position will provide me an opportunity to work directly under founding DWFI executive director Roberto Lenton, who has tremendous amounts of international experiences on water.”
Ray also said he is looking forward to meeting and working with the NWC’s many stakeholders, learning more about all aspects of Nebraska water issues and exploring research opportunities and collaborations.
At the same time that Ray’s hire was announced, DWFI said that it had hired Christopher Neale, who will join the DWFI in October, as it’s director of research. Neale is a professor in the Irrigation Engineering Division of the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at Utah State University.
“I am delighted by the appointment of Drs. Neale and Ray.” Lenton said. “They will play critically important roles in advancing the work of the Water for Food Institute in Nebraska and other parts of the world facing critical water for food challenges.”
The Robert B. Daugherty Water for Food Institute at the University of Nebraska is a research, education and policy analysis institute committed to helping the world efficiently use its limited freshwater resources, with particular focus on ensuring the food supply for current and future generations.
More details at: http://go.unl.edu/2n7