IN-PERSON: Livable Cities – New York

On August 23, 2004, Russell K. Hotzler became the eighth president of New York City College of Technology (City Tech) of The City University of New York, bringing to his position a wealth of experience in higher education and a deep commitment to enhancing the academic opportunities afforded to the students served by the City University of New York. During Dr. Hotzler’s tenure at City Tech, he has stewarded significant curriculum reform and degree program development spanning the sciences, engineering technologies, and healthcare; increased full-time faculty appointments; supported sustained focus on student and faculty research; and launched an ambitious program of renovating and enlarging the College’s physical plant to provide technically advanced instructional facilities for its expanding professional programs. In 2018, City Tech opened the doors to its new academic complex, housing 360,000 square feet of state-of-the-practice laboratories, clinics and classrooms for programs in the sciences and healthcare; a 1,000-seat theater; a gymnasium; and a student wellness center. Under Dr. Hotzler’s leadership, the College has become the epicenter of STEM education within CUNY. In 2021, in partnership with Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, City Tech opened the DNA Learning Center NYC, which provides opportunities for our students to pursue cutting-edge research projects and internships. The DNA Learning Center NYC also serves the greater community, by enabling New York City school students to explore DNA science and its impact on human health and society. The College has gained substantial public recognition for high-tech workforce development in areas essential to economic growth. Prior to this presidency, Dr. Hotzler served as the Vice Chancellor for Academic Program Planning at The City University of New York, a position that held system-wide responsibility for planning and program initiatives. Prior to becoming Vice Chancellor Dr. Hotzler held the position of Interim President at York College, following a two-year tenure as Interim President at Queens College. He directed each through a period of administrative transition and restructuring. Dr. Hotzler joined CUNY as a faculty member at Queensborough Community College in 1971 where he taught and served as Vice President for Academic Affairs prior to joining the University’s central administration in 1995. His University-wide responsibilities have included oversight of academic program initiatives and liaison to the State Education Department and the Middle States Association. He also coordinated the University’s Teacher Education initiatives, worked with the colleges to ensure compliance with new State requirements for the professions and teacher education, and served as liaison to the NYC Board of Education in matters of teacher education and development of new performance standards for K-12 mathematics and science instruction. Dr. Hotzler served as Chair of the New York State Regents Advisory Committee on Accreditation. His other experiences include working with the Hospital for Special Surgery’s Bio-Engineering Department where he studied metal-tissue interactions and wear characteristics of metal implants, and serving as a NASA research fellow studying the microstructure and characteristics of oxide-dispersion strengthened alloys at the NASA Research Center in Ohio. Dr. Hotzler was awarded the American Society for Metals Education Award, given in recognition of contributions to the teaching of science and was elected to the Board of the National Education Committee of the American Society of Metals. He is also a recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, and the Christopher Columbus Award from the Italian Charities of America. Dr. Hotzler has been active in numerous professional societies including the American Society for Metals, the American Society for Testing and Materials, the American Society for Engineering Education and Sigma XI. He was honored by the American Red Cross Brooklyn chapter for distinguished service. A native New Yorker, Dr. Hotzler holds a Bachelor of Science Degree and a Master of Science degree in Metallurgical Engineering and a Ph.D. In Physical Metallurgy from the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn (today New York University Tandon School of Engineering) where he also served as a member of the faculty in the Department of Physical and Engineering Metallurgy.