William W. Destler
Encyclopedia
William W. Destler is an American
university professor and administrator. He is currently serving as the 9th president of Rochester Institute of Technology
and has held the position since 1 July 2007, succeeding Albert J. Simone
.
Previously, Destler was provost
and senior vice president for student affairs at the University of Maryland, College Park
from 2001 to 2007. He also served as a professor of electrical engineering
in the college of engineering
, dean
of the graduate school (1999–2001), and dean of the engineering school (1994–1997) at Maryland.
Destler received his bachelor's degree
from the Stevens Institute of Technology
in 1968, and his applied physics Ph.D.
from Cornell University
in 1972. His research specialized in "high-power microwave
sources and advanced accelerator technologies". He is married to Dr. Rebecca Johnson (Ph.D. in psychology); they have two sons.
Destler is "one of the world’s foremost collectors of antique banjo
s;" the number of instruments in his collection is purportedly more than 160. Destler released his only record in 1973, "September Sky". People in Asia, and specifically Korea, have recently shown an increased interest in the record.
In 2010, he approved the termination of RIT's quarter system, effectively switching the school to a semester system beginning in 2013. The decision was favored by the faculty and staff and endorsed by the RIT Student Government but opposed by 60% of students participating in an online poll.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
university professor and administrator. He is currently serving as the 9th president of Rochester Institute of Technology
Rochester Institute of Technology
The Rochester Institute of Technology is a private university, located within the town of Henrietta in metropolitan Rochester, New York, United States...
and has held the position since 1 July 2007, succeeding Albert J. Simone
Albert J. Simone
Dr. Albert Joseph Simone is a former president of the Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, New York, USA.Simone earned his Bachelor of Arts from Tufts in 1957, and his PhD from MIT in 1962....
.
Previously, Destler was provost
Provost (education)
A provost is the senior academic administrator at many institutions of higher education in the United States, Canada and Australia, the equivalent of a pro-vice-chancellor at some institutions in the United Kingdom and Ireland....
and senior vice president for student affairs at the University of Maryland, College Park
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
from 2001 to 2007. He also served as a professor of electrical engineering
Electrical engineering
Electrical engineering is a field of engineering that generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century after commercialization of the electric telegraph and electrical...
in the college of engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
, dean
Dean (education)
In academic administration, a dean is a person with significant authority over a specific academic unit, or over a specific area of concern, or both...
of the graduate school (1999–2001), and dean of the engineering school (1994–1997) at Maryland.
Destler received his bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
from the Stevens Institute of Technology
Stevens Institute of Technology
Stevens Institute of Technology is a technological university located on a campus in Hoboken, New Jersey, USA – founded in 1870 with an 1868 bequest from Edwin A. Stevens. It is known for its engineering, science, and technological management curricula.The institute has produced leading...
in 1968, and his applied physics Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
from Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
in 1972. His research specialized in "high-power microwave
Microwave
Microwaves, a subset of radio waves, have wavelengths ranging from as long as one meter to as short as one millimeter, or equivalently, with frequencies between 300 MHz and 300 GHz. This broad definition includes both UHF and EHF , and various sources use different boundaries...
sources and advanced accelerator technologies". He is married to Dr. Rebecca Johnson (Ph.D. in psychology); they have two sons.
Destler is "one of the world’s foremost collectors of antique banjo
Banjo
In the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
s;" the number of instruments in his collection is purportedly more than 160. Destler released his only record in 1973, "September Sky". People in Asia, and specifically Korea, have recently shown an increased interest in the record.
In 2010, he approved the termination of RIT's quarter system, effectively switching the school to a semester system beginning in 2013. The decision was favored by the faculty and staff and endorsed by the RIT Student Government but opposed by 60% of students participating in an online poll.