UGA associate professor named Georgia Engineer of the Year

S. Sonny Kim

S. Sonny Kim

S. Sonny Kim, an associate professor in the University of Georgia College of Engineering, has been named 2021 Georgia Engineer of the Year by the Georgia Society of Professional Engineers (GSPE).

Presented annually by GSPE, the Engineer of the Year Awards honor licensed engineers who have made outstanding contributions to the engineering profession, the public welfare, and humankind. Judging criteria include professional registration, education, continuing education and technical development, involvement in professional and technical societies, civic and humanitarian activities, and engineering achievements.

“It is my great honor to be selected for this remarkable honor,” said Kim. “It would have not been possible without the strong support and assistance from my amazing colleagues and students.”

Kim’s teaching and research is focused on sustainable infrastructure and materials, saltmarsh restoration, and the use of nondestructive testing, remote sensing, and machine learning in infrastructure monitoring.

Since joining the faculty of the UGA College of Engineering in 2016, Kim has been awarded approximately $5 million in research grants and he has mentored 10 Ph.D. and 24 master’s students. In addition, Kim has produced more than 70 publications in refereed journals, proceedings, and technical reports and made more than 60 presentations at local, national and international conferences and universities.

Kim has received significant recognition for his teaching and research while at UGA. Among other honors, he has been named a Fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), has received the College of Engineering’s Distinguished Faculty Fellow Award, and been named a UGA Public Service and Outreach Fellow. Kim is a licensed engineer and active member of ASCE and serves on technical committees of the Transportation Research Board and the Federal Highway Administration.

GSPE will honor Kim and other award recipients Feb. 23 in a virtual ceremony.

By Mike Wooten


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