Dr. Barney Kuo Yen Huang

Dr. Barney Kuo Yen Huang, 74, died at his home in Raleigh, NC on October 7, 2005.
He is survived by his wife, Lindy, his three children, Ulric, Rosa, Lucas, his wife Johanna and their two children, Anika and Amilee. Dr. Huang was the president of International Innovative Technology, Inc. and Air-Pruning Technologies, Inc. in Raleigh, NC. Dr. Huang pioneered the concept of root air-pruning engineering that not only addressed root-binding problems in agriculture and forestry, but also provided accelerated root development to increase plant production and quality in both greenhouses and in the field. Both of his product designs, the air-pruning tray system and the fully automatic air-pruning field transplanting system, earned several AE50 awards as well as the Rain Bird Engineering Concept of the Year Award for 2001.
Having earned his PhD in agricultural engineering at Purdue University, he later served as a professor at NC State University and research faculty at Branden University. Dr. Huang's other achievements included inventions, developments and commercial implementations of fully automatic transplanters in conjunction with air-pruning technologies, solar tobacco and peanut curing, and solar grain and biomass drying. He authored the book, Computer Simulation Analysis of Biological and Agricultural Systems and has published more than 150 scientific articles. He also holds over 40 US and foreign patents. His awards and honors include four ASAE paper awards, Korea Tobacco Research Institute Excellence Award, American Biographical Institute Distinguished Leadership Award and the Golden Academy award for Lifetime Achievement.
Funeral services will be conducted at a later date.
Arrangements by Mitchell Funeral Home at Raleigh Memorial Park, 7209 Glenwood Ave., 919-783-7128.