The Reub A. Long Professorship

Reuben A. Long, a native Oregonian and a 70-year resident of Fort Rock, southeast of Bend, was a living legend in the state’s agricultural community. Prior to his death in 1974, Long had been a horse rancher and conservationist, as well as past chairman and longtime member of the State Board of Agriculture. He was also renowned as a writer and storyteller, most famously as co-author, with the late E. R. Jackman, of The Oregon Desert, a regional bestseller.

As a board member for the OSU Foundation, Long was instrumental in securing the Harris Ranch gift, a property which the university now operates for rangeland research purposes. Long also made a significant contribution of his own to the state of Oregon, donating property that the state designated as Ft. Rock State Park.

Before his death, Reub Long established a trust which, upon the passing of its final beneficiary, provided funds for the Reub A. Long Professorship. The professorship is awarded by position to the Dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences and supports development activities and fund-raising programs for the college and the E.R. Jackman Foundation.

Sonny Ramaswamy

Dr. Sonny Ramaswamy became dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences and holder of the Reub A. Long Professorship in August 2009. He also directs the Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station, which is based at OSU.

He has extensive experience in different agricultural settings. Most recently, he served three years as associate dean of Purdue's College of Agriculture, where he directed Purdue's agricultural research programs. Previously he was head of the Department of Entomology at Kansas State University (1997-2004), where he was named KSU Presidential Outstanding Department Head and University Distinguished Professor. He also was on the faculty of Mississippi State University, and was a research associate at Michigan State University.

Educated at the University of Agricultural Sciences in Bangalore, India, Ramaswamy earned his Ph.D. in entomology from Rutgers University. He has studied the reproductive biology of insects and plant-insect interactions, conducting applied research on insect pests affecting wheat, cotton, beans, other row crops, and trees. The recipient of research grants from various federal agencies, state agencies, commodity groups, and industry, he has published nearly 150 journal articles, book chapters, and a book.

His honors include 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.