VOLUME 13, NO. 1     DEC 1999

Three new professors practice what they teach

Three distinguished industry leaders, including two alumni, have been appointed to WPI professorships. Michael J. Ciaraldi and Leonard Polizzotto '70 ('72 M.S.), are new professors of practice.

Ciaraldi, a senior software engineer at Lucent Technologies and president of Ciaraldi Cybernetics, is the computer science professor of practice. He received a B.A. in physics from Cornell University in 1973 and master's degrees in computer science in 1979 and 1983 from the University of Rochester and Rochester Institute of Technology, where he served as adjunct professor. Ciaraldi has also been an adjunct professor at Clark University.

Polizzotto was named professor of practice in electrical and computer engineering. Vice president of new business development at Polaroid Corp., he earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in electrical engineering from WPI and his doctorate in visual sciences from Tufts University in 1982.

Created in 1997, these professorships serve as a "talent bridge" that connect proven leaders in business, industry and government with academia. Robert C. Labonte '54 ('60 M.S.) was WPI's first professor of practice.

Allen H. Levesque '59 was appointed affiliate professor of electrical and computer engineering. He comes to WPI after 35 years in communications research and development, most recently with GTE Laboratories Inc., where he was senior staff scientist. In addition to his WPI degree, which he received with high distinction in electrical engineering, Levesque holds an M.S. and a Ph.D. from Yale University and has taken graduate courses at Harvard University and MIT.