Youngsoo “Richard” Kim, Jimmy D. Clark Distinguished University Professor at North Carolina State University, is the 2026 recipient of the University of North Carolina System’s O. Max Gardner Award for his contributions to improving roadway infrastructure around the world.
The O. Max Gardner Award recognizes faculty who have “made the greatest contribution to the welfare of the human race.” It is the highest honor the UNC System’s Board of Governors confers on faculty and is the only award for which all faculty members across the 17 campuses are eligible. Kim, who is a professor in the Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering, is the 33rd faculty member from NC State to receive the award.
One of the world’s leading scholars on asphalt pavement, Kim is recognized for his performance modeling and test method innovations that extend the life of highways, reduce costs, decrease environmental impacts, increase safety and improve the daily lives of millions.
“We are incredibly proud of Dr. Kim’s groundbreaking accomplishments – including the contributions he has made to improving safety and transportation infrastructure across the world,” said NC State Chancellor Kevin Howell. “In addition, Dr. Kim has left an immeasurable impact on his peers and students, and we are grateful that he has made NC State his academic home.”
Kim’s work has changed industry standards for asphalt material specifications, improving pavement durability under different traffic and climate conditions. His research has prevented premature failures such as cracking and potholes — reducing associated waste, pollution and potential dangers to travelers. His mechanistic models, which rely on mathematical equations to show dynamic behavior in asphalt pavement, have improved performance prediction and have been adopted worldwide by industry and government agencies. His models are the basis for Brazil’s national pavement design method, support characterization of recycled materials in Italy, and inform material certification systems in South Korea.
The Federal Highway Administration selected Kim’s system of mechanistic models and test methods as the foundation for its national roadmap to improve the U.S. highway network. The U.S. highway system is the nation’s largest public infrastructure investment, valued at more than $30 billion annually. Kim’s research has also been funded by the National Cooperative Highway Research Program and the North Carolina Department of Transportation.
He joined the NC State faculty in 1989 as an assistant professor in the Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering. Kim is well regarded for his teaching and mentorship. He has chaired or co-chaired 47 master’s and 58 doctoral student committees — one of the highest totals at NC State — guiding leaders who now hold faculty and industry positions around the world.
“I am deeply honored and humbled to receive the 2026 O. Max Gardner Award,” Kim said. “Throughout my professional career, I have dedicated myself to collaborating with brilliant young minds to enhance asphalt pavement performance by bridging theory with engineering practice. This award reflects the trust and confidence that my former students and colleagues have placed in me, and I am truly grateful for their support.”
Kim has received many of the College of Engineering’s highest faculty research awards. He is a 2019 recipient of the university’s highest faculty honor, the Alexander Quarles Holladay Medal for Excellence. Nationally, Kim was recognized in 2020 with the Francis C. Turner Award from the American Society of Civil Engineers, the highest recognition in U.S. transportation engineering. His global leadership has been recognized with the 2015 election to the Korean Academy of Science and Technology, similar to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in the U.S.; the 2016 Changjiang Scholar Award, the highest academic award in China; and the 2025 Distinguished Overseas Alumni Award from Seoul National University.
Kim received his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Seoul National University in 1980. He earned his master’s degree in 1985 and Ph.D. in 1988, both in civil engineering from Texas A&M University.
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