Daniel Berg

Daniel Berg is a scientist, educator and was the fifteenth president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

He was born on June 1, 1929 in New York City.[1] In 1950, he graduated from City College of New York with a B.S. in physics and chemistry. He earned M.S. and P.h. D. degrees in physical chemistry from Yale University in 1951 and 1953 respectively. From 1953-1977, he worked at the Westinghouse Electric Corporation, ultimately as technical director.[2] In 1977, he joined Carnegie Mellon University as dean of the Mellon College of Science. In 1981, he became co-provost, along with Richard L. Van Horn.[3]

In 1983, he was appointed vice president of academic affairs and provost of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. In 1984, he was named acting president on the death of the previous president, George Low, and became president of Rensselaer in 1985. He remained in that position until 1987, when he became Institute Professor of Science and Technology. His research interests include "understanding the relationship of technology and the service sector," as well as "management of technological organization, innovation, policy, manufacturing strategy, robotics, policy issues of research and development in the service sector."[4]

In 1947, he received the Belden Medal for mathematics as an undergraduate at City College of New York.[5] In 1983, he received the Wilbur Cross Medal from the Association of Yale Alumni. It is awarded to Yale graduate school alumni who have "distinguished achievements in scholarship, teaching, academic administration, and public service."[6] In 2007, he received the Engineering Management Educator of the Year award from the IEEE Engineering Management Society. The award recognizes "outstanding education or education administration contributions to the field of engineering management or a closely related discipline."[7] He is also a member of Tau Beta Pi, Phi Beta Kappa, the National Academy of Engineering, the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences and is a fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, the New York Academy of Sciences and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.[4]

Academic offices
Preceded by
George Low		 President of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
1984 – 1987		 Succeeded by
Stanley I. Landgraf

References

  1. ^ "Daniel Berg." Marquis Who's Who. Marquis Who's Who, 2008. Reproduced in Biography Resource Center. Farmington Hills, Mich.: Gale, 2008.
  2. ^ Biography of Daniel Berg
  3. ^ Carnegie Mellon Leadership: Office of the Provost: Past Provosts
  4. ^ a b Faculty Directory Daniel Berg Professor and Institute Professor
  5. ^ "City College Gives Diplomas Tonight", New York Times, June 24, 1947
  6. ^ The Wilbur Cross Medal Recipients by Year
  7. ^ Daniel Berg awarded 2007 Engineering Management Educator of the Year by IEEE Engineering Management Society