Gilbert L. Rochon

Gilbert L. Rochon
6th President of Tuskegee University
In office November 1, 2010 – October 21, 2013
Personal details
Born	New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
Spouse	Patricia Saul Rochon
Children	2
Relatives	Stephen W. Rochon (brother)
Education	Xavier University of Louisiana Yale School of Medicine Massachusetts Institute of Technology (PhD)
Occupation	Academic, educator

Gilbert L. Rochon is an American former academic and educator who served as the sixth president of Tuskegee University from 2010 to 2013.

Early life and education

Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, Rochon grew up with his two brothers under the care of their mother and grandfather. He attended segregated Catholic parochial schools and later studied at seminaries in Mississippi and Iowa.

Rochon earned a Bachelor's degree from Xavier University of Louisiana, a Master of Public Health in health services administration from Yale University, and a Ph.D. in urban and regional planning from MIT, with research focused on satellite-based remote sensing applications for drought-related famine in Sudan.

Career

Before his presidency at Tuskegee, Rochon held various academic and administrative positions. From 2002 to 2010, he worked at Purdue University, and from 2000 to 2002, he served as a researcher at the US Environmental Protection Agency’s National Risk Management Research Laboratory. Rochon also served as the director and chair of Urban Studies and Public Policy at Dillard University from 1982 to 2000. His research focused on the applications of real-time earth-observing satellite remote sensing data and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to address issues such as urban planning and environmental management.

Rochon has been involved with several institutions and organizations throughout his career. He has held positions at Mae Fah Luang University, Indiana University School of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Miami University of Ohio, and Tulane University. Additionally, he has collaborated with various governmental agencies, including NASA, the USDA Forest Service, the U.S. Naval Oceanographic Office, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Department of Defense. He is a senior member of IEEE, a member of the Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society (GRSS), and a member of the Society for College and University Planning (SCUP).

Rochon has also served on numerous boards and advisory committees. He is a member of the President’s Council at the University of New Orleans, the Board of Directors of Eastern National, and the Advisory Board for the Center of Excellence for Remote Sensing Education and Research at Elizabeth City State University. Additionally, he serves on the Advisory Board of the Curtis Robinson Men's Health Institute and the Research Committee of the Cobb Institute – National Medical Association.

Personal life

Rochon is married to Patricia Saul Rochon, a former academic, and they have two children. He is catholic.

Publications

• Rochon, Gilbert L.; Thiam, Thierno (7 February 2013). "Democracy & Education: Evolution of the Tuskegee University Governance Model". In Harkavy, Ira; Bergan, Sjur; van't Land, Hilligje (eds.). Council of Europe Reimaging Democratic Societies: A New Era of Personal and Social Responsibility. Council of Europe. ISBN 978-92-871-7537-3.
• Rochon, Gilbert L. (September 2010). "Remote Sensing for Disaster Response". In Barney Warf; Piotr Jankowski; Barry Solomon; et al. (eds.). Encyclopedia of Geography. Sage Publications. ISBN 9781412956970.