In Memoriam

Laurence Silverstein, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Physics

Silverstein joined New York Tech in the fall of 1975 and devoted more than five decades to the university. A deeply committed educator, he cared profoundly about his students and was a steadfast presence in the academic life of the institution. He served on the Academic Senate for more than 30 years, including as its first secretary, and was a founding member of the Select Constitutional Committee, which authored the AAUP-at-NYIT Chapter Constitutions and Joint Council Bylaws.

Throughout his career, Silverstein was an active advocate for faculty and the university community. He contributed to numerous AAUP (American Association of University Professors) collective bargaining agreement negotiation cycles and, in 2017, played a key role in revising the university’s mission and vision statements.

As a professor, Silverstein left a lasting mark on the curriculum. He developed multiple courses, including the university’s first Physical Science Core Course (Physics 115), as well as physics-related courses for the Departments of Biology and Architecture. During the COVID pandemic, he generously lent his expertise to help adapt physics syllabi and course content for online instruction. From 2020 to 2023, he was also instrumental in the development of New York Tech’s Honors Program and Honors College.

Clyde Doughty, Jr.

(B.S. ’81, M.S. ’96, M.B.A. ’98)

Doughty served in numerous roles for nearly four decades at New York Institute of Technology, including as director of intercollegiate athletics and recreation, where he mentored generations of New York Tech student-athletes through 2014. Most recently, he served as vice president for athletics and recreation at Bowie State University in Maryland.

As a student-athlete, he played for the New York Tech basketball team that reached the NCAA Division II Tournament in 1978 and again in 1980, advancing to the national championship game. After graduating, Doughty began his administrative career with the university in 1982, later becoming director of intercollegiate athletics and recreation, a role he would hold for more than 25 years.

Under Doughty’s leadership, New York Tech earned numerous NCAA and Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) postseason appearances. The men’s lacrosse program captured four national championships (1997, 2003, 2005, and 2008); the men’s basketball team claimed an ECAC title; and several other teams reached NCAA tournaments, including women’s volleyball, soccer, and tennis.