Dr. William W. Durgin is a Professor of Engineering at SUNY Polytechnic Institute. Previously he held positions as Provost at SUNY Polytechnic Institute and professor of Mechanical Engineering and of Aerospace Engineering at the California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly). Additionally, he served as University Executive for Research and External Support and as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. His prior academic post had been that of Associate Provost and Vice President for Research at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. He has made major contributions to undergraduate and graduate academic programs, research programs, and adult education programs for all engineering, agriculture, science, management, and humanities and arts programs. Professor Durgin is a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Dr. Durgin received the Sc.B. (1964) and Ph.D. (1970) degrees in mechanical engineering from Brown University and the M.S. (1966) degree from the University of Rhode Island. He is well known for research in the fluid mechanics area including precision flow measurement, sound propagation through turbulence, biomedical flows, and hydro/aeromechanics. He has made substantial contributions to engineering education through his work on project-based learning. He received the ASME Curriculum Innovation Award, the ASME Service Award, and a NASA Significant Achievement Award. He has served as chair of the Committee on Honors of the ASME International.

Dr. Durgin served on the Engineering in Mass Collaborative, identifying and implementing best practices in K-12 STEM education in support of the Massachusetts Frameworks. He served on the Central Mass Biomedical Initiative board, the Manufacturing Assistance Center board, the Massachusetts Extension Partnership board, and is a proponent of economic development through strengthening of the high technology base. He has succeeded in bringing engineering, science, and management resources together to form the Bioengineering Institute that was successfully launched in 2004. He has served on the P-16 Council in San Luis Obispo and the California Competitive Crisis Council. He was a member of the California Energy Future task force and was the Director of the Center for Renewable Energy and Alternative Transportation Technologies.

Dr. Durgin has held many positions in professional societies and in organizations supporting engineering research and education at the national and state levels. He is a member of Sigma Xi, Phi Kappa Phi, and Tau Beta Pi. A professional engineer, Dr. Durgin is registered in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Florida. He has served on boards, study groups, and editorial boards for NASA, ASME and other organizations. He is the author of more than seventy journal articles, edited and contributed to several books, and holds two patents. Dr. Durgin has served as a member of the Executive Committee on the Engineering Deans Council, and served as a member of the ASEE Public Policy Committee.