A longtime Georgia Tech faculty, Ruffin also serves as the director of both the NASA Georgia Space Grant Consortium and the head of the National Space Grant Consortium Directors. As a faculty and as a administrative leader, Ruffin has consistently worked to expand the Institute's accessibility to previously unrepresented groups.

"I cannot think of anyone more deserving," said GT-AE Chair Vigor Yang.

The Diversity Champion Awards recognize students, staff, faculty, and units who have actively demonstrated and positively promoted the concepts of diversity, equity, and inclusion within the Georgia Tech campus community. Each year, one member of the faculty, staff, and student body, and a unit (e.g., office, department, school, lab) is selected and recognized at the Diversity Symposium Awards Luncheon.

Ruffin will be officially recognized at that luncheon, Sept. 9.