William W. Destler

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William W. Destler is an American university professor and administrator. He has served as the 9th president of Rochester Institute of Technology since 1 July 2007, succeeding Albert J. Simone.^[1]^[2]

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 Ph.D. from Cornell University in 1972. His research specialized in "high-power microwave sources and advanced accelerator technologies".^[3] He is married to Dr. Rebecca Johnson (Ph.D. in psychology); they have two sons.

Destler claims to be "one of the world’s foremost collectors of antique banjos;" the number of instruments in his collection is purportedly more than 100.^[4]

[edit] Trivia

Destler was recently disappointed with how the RIT community neglected to attend the basketball games, so as persuasion for students to attend he agreed to dye his hair orange at half time of the men's game if both women's and men's games were full. The men's was full, the women's was close, so as a compromise he dyed three-fourths of his hair orange.^[5]