# William Chesley Rounds

> Ph.D. Stanford University 1968

**Wikidata**: [Q102112737](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q102112737)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/william-chesley-rounds

## Summary
William Chesley Rounds was a computer scientist and university teacher. He is known for his long academic career, particularly his 35-year tenure at the University of Michigan, and for mentoring several notable doctoral students in computer science.

## Biography
- **Education:** Doctor of Philosophy, Stanford University (1968); Bachelor of Arts, Bowdoin College (1964)
- **Known for:** A long career in academia and advising Ph.D. students
- **Employer(s):** University of Michigan (1973–2008), Case Western Reserve University (1968–1973)
- **Field(s):** Computer science

## Contributions
William Chesley Rounds's primary contribution was in the field of computer science education and academic mentorship. After receiving his Ph.D. from Stanford University in 1968 under the supervision of the influential computer scientist Dana Scott, Rounds embarked on a long teaching career. He first taught at Case Western Reserve University from 1968 to 1973 before joining the University of Michigan, where he remained a faculty member for 35 years until his retirement in 2008.

His most documented contribution is his role as a doctoral advisor. Through his guidance, he shaped the careers of numerous computer scientists who went on to make their own significant impacts. His list of doctoral students includes C. Raymond Perrault, who became the Director of the Artificial Intelligence Center; American computer scientist Janice E. Cuny; and David Scott Warren. Other students he advised include Jack Craig Wileden, Hosung Song, and Annius Victor Groenink. This legacy of mentorship represents a significant contribution to the academic genealogy and development of the field.

## FAQs
### Q: Where did William Chesley Rounds earn his Ph.D.?
A: William Chesley Rounds earned his Doctor of Philosophy degree from Stanford University in 1968.

### Q: Who was William Chesley Rounds's doctoral advisor?
A: His doctoral advisor was the prominent American mathematician and computer scientist Dana Scott.

### Q: Which universities did William Chesley Rounds work for?
A: He was employed by Case Western Reserve University from 1968 to 1973 and subsequently by the University of Michigan from 1973 until 2008.

## Why They Matter
William Chesley Rounds's significance lies in his role as an educator and a key link in the academic lineage of computer science. As a student of Dana Scott, a foundational figure in the field, Rounds inherited a strong theoretical background which he then passed on to his own students. His 35-year tenure at the University of Michigan placed him in a position to influence generations of computer scientists, contributing to the growth and reputation of the university's program.

His impact is most tangibly measured by the success of the Ph.D. candidates he supervised. By mentoring individuals like C. Raymond Perrault and Janice E. Cuny, who became leaders and respected researchers in their own right, Rounds's influence extended far beyond his direct research. Without educators like him, the institutional knowledge and rigorous training necessary for advancing the frontiers of computer science would not be effectively transmitted from one generation to the next. He represents the crucial, often unsung, role of the dedicated academic mentor in scientific progress.

## Notable For
*   **Academic Lineage:** Received his Ph.D. under the supervision of noted computer scientist Dana Scott.
*   **Long-Term University Tenure:** Served as a faculty member at the University of Michigan for 35 years, from 1973 to 2008.
*   **Mentorship:** Advised several Ph.D. students who became notable computer scientists, including C. Raymond Perrault, Janice E. Cuny, and David Scott Warren.
*   **Education:** Earned a Bachelor of Arts from Bowdoin College in 1964 and a Ph.D. from Stanford University in 1968.

## Body
### Academic Career
William Chesley Rounds had a distinguished career in academia spanning four decades.

*   **Education:** He completed his Bachelor of Arts at Bowdoin College in 1964. He then pursued graduate studies at Stanford University, where he earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree in 1968.
*   **Employment:** Following his Ph.D., Rounds began his teaching career at Case Western Reserve University, where he worked from 1968 until 1973. In 1973, he joined the faculty at the University of Michigan, an institution he would serve for 35 years until his retirement on May 31, 2008.

### Academic Genealogy
Rounds was part of a significant chain of academic mentorship in computer science.

*   **Doctoral Advisor:** His Ph.D. advisor at Stanford was Dana Scott, an American mathematician and computer scientist.
*   **Doctoral Students:** He served as the doctoral advisor for numerous students who went on to have careers in computer science. His known students include:
    *   C. Raymond Perrault
    *   Jack Craig Wileden
    *   David Scott Warren
    *   Janice E. Cuny
    *   Hosung Song
    *   Annius Victor Groenink

### Personal and Professional Identifiers
*   **Name:** His given names are William (first) and Chesley (second), and his family name is Rounds.
*   **Gender:** The source material identifies him as male.
*   **Professional IDs:** He is identified in various academic and library databases, including:
    *   **ISNI:** 0000000031836143
    *   **VIAF ID:** 65669225
    *   **DBLP Author ID:** r/WCRounds
    *   **Mathematics Genealogy Project ID:** 44546
    *   **Library of Congress Authority ID:** n92089120

## Schema Markup
```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Person",
  "name": "William Chesley Rounds",
  "jobTitle": "Computer Scientist",
  "worksFor": [
    {
      "@type": "Organization",
      "name": "University of Michigan"
    },
    {
      "@type": "Organization",
      "name": "Case Western Reserve University"
    }
  ],
  "alumniOf": [
    {
      "@type": "EducationalOrganization",
      "name": "Stanford University"
    },
    {
      "@type": "EducationalOrganization",
      "name": "Bowdoin College"
    }
  ],
  "gender": "https://schema.org/Male",
  "knowsAbout": [
    "Computer Science"
  ],
  "sameAs": [
    "https://viaf.org/viaf/65669225"
  ],
  "description": "Computer scientist and university teacher who received his Ph.D. from Stanford University in 1968 and taught at the University of Michigan from 1973 to 2008."
}

## References

1. [Source](https://regents.umich.edu/files/meetings/05-08/2008-05-VI-Rounds.pdf)
2. Mathematics Genealogy Project