Richard Phillips

Unpaid Emeritus

Retired May, 1999
  • 919-515-1373
  • Patterson Hall NA

Dr. Richard Phillips received a B. S. and M. S. from Iowa State University and earned his PhD (1965) from the University of California /Davis in Water Science and Engineering. He came to NC State University in directly after graduation as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering and the Soil Science Departments associate professor in 1968.

In his years he developed many courses having to do with Soil and Water Conservation from Surface and Subsurface drainage to graduate courses in Drainage and several courses for non-engineers. His research made him an early adopter of computers 1968 he developed a computer program for land forming where designs could be simultaneously generated to fit the existing topography of fields and provide cost data. The computer program was a very successful for the times and was used by the Soil Conservation Service and could be found used as far as Turkey, Iran, and Ireland. In 1967 he began the program in Animal Waste Management focusing on pollution control. He iniciated an on-farm testing system for surface drains which also became widely practiced .

In 1969 he was named Associate Head of the Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department responsible for extension programs. Then in 1973 he was named Assistant Director of N. C. Agricultural Experiment Station responsible for the research programs of 9 NC State departments and the work at 15 outlying research stations. He was involved in the coordination of research and extension interests of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences with a commodity review system to provide integration of information.

He received many awards and honors and was a member of both the American Association of Agricultural Engineers and Civil Engineers, the American Geophysical Union, and the National Ground Water Association.

Education

Ph. D. 1965

University of California, Davis

M.S.

Iowa State University

B.S.

Iowa State University