NTID President
Together we will ensure that every student has the opportunity to thrive, lead, and drive innovation across every sector of society.”
Caroline Solomon
NTID President/RIT Vice President
caroline.solomon@rit.edu
@NTIDPres
@NTIDPres
@NTIDPres
Biography
A renowned scientist and researcher, Dr. Caroline M. Solomon is the first woman to lead NTID since the college’s establishment in 1965.
As president, she provides leadership in developing and executing the college’s vision and strategic plan, and is responsible for NTID’s financial operations and budget, academic programs, enrollment management, external and federal relations, and fundraising.
Throughout her career, Solomon has devoted herself to encouraging and nurturing deaf and hard-of-hearing students in STEM fields. She joined the faculty of Gallaudet University as a biology instructor in 2000 and rose to the rank of professor in 2011. She received Gallaudet’s Distinguished Faculty Award in 2013 and was recognized by the Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography with their Ramon Margalef Award for Excellence in Education in 2017. She was appointed the dean of faculty at Gallaudet in 2024.
Solomon earned a bachelor’s degree in environmental science and public policy, magna cum laude, from Harvard University and a master’s degree in biological oceanography from University of Washington’s School of Oceanography. She earned a Ph.D. in marine, environmental and estuarine sciences from University of Maryland and has presented her research at national and international conferences. She is the co-creator of a database of science- and technology-related terms in American Sign Language to identify marine life and enhance accessibility for individuals who are deaf studying or working in the sciences.
A past participant in the Deaflympics as a swimmer, Solomon was inducted into the Deaflympics Hall of Fame in 2020. She and her husband, Barry, an attorney, have two children.
Speeches and Communications
- October 10, 2025
Inaugural Address - August 21, 2025
Welcome Address
In the News
-
October 13, 2025
GALLERY: New era begins as Caroline Solomon becomes first female president of NTID
WHAM-TV features photos from the inauguration of NTID President Caroline Solomon.
-
October 13, 2025
‘I’m truly at home’: Dr. Caroline Solomon inaugurated as NTID’s first woman president
WHEC-TV highlights the inauguration of Caroline Solomon, NTID president.
-
October 13, 2025
Caroline Solomon installed as first woman president of RIT’s National Technical Institute for the Deaf
Rethinking how to support students, leading and driving innovation, and investing in transformative teaching and impactful research are some of the focus areas of Caroline Solomon, who was installed as the first woman president of RIT’s National Technical Institute for the Deaf on Oct. 10.
Office of the Dean
In his role as Interim Dean, Gary Behm ensures that the college is centered around students – from enrollment through degree completion to job placement – and prioritizes developing the teaching, research, and communication skills of all faculty and staff within NTID Academic Affairs.
Gary Behm
Interim Dean
Email: gwbnts@rit.edu
National Advisory Group (NAG)
In accordance with the Education of the Deaf Act, the National Advisory Group is appointed to advise the President of NTID "...in formulating and carrying out the basic policies governing [NTID’s] establishment and operation, which group shall include individuals who are professionally concerned with education and technical training at the postsecondary school level, persons who are professionally concerned with activities relating to education and training of individuals who are deaf, and members of the public familiar with the need for services provided by NTID."
