President, NTID and Vice President, Rochester Institute of Technology

Caroline M. Solomon, dean of faculty at Gallaudet University, has been named president of Rochester Institute of Technology’s National Technical Institute for the Deaf and vice president of RIT. She will begin her tenure at RIT/NTID on August 18.

An American Sign Language (ASL) version of this announcement is available here.

Solomon brings a wealth of experience in academic leadership, scientific research, and advocacy for deaf and hard-of-hearing students in STEM fields. She will be the first woman to lead NTID in its nearly 60-year history.

Solomon holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental science and public policy from Harvard University, a master’s in biological oceanography from the University of Washington, and a doctorate in marine, environmental, and estuarine sciences from the University of Maryland. Solomon began her academic career at Gallaudet University in 2000 as a biology instructor. She was honored with Gallaudet’s Distinguished Faculty Award in 2013 and received the Ramon Margalef Award for Excellence in Education from the Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography in 2017. She was appointed dean of faculty in 2024.

Throughout her career, Solomon has promoted access and equity in education, empowering deaf and hard-of-hearing students to thrive, lead, and drive innovation. She has presented her research at national and international conferences and developed a database of science-based technical signs in ASL.

John Muckle, Pamela Pezzoli, Hannah Moore, and Ethan Thomas led this search in partnership with Innivee Strategies.