Bill Windsor is a Catalyst for Bridging Industry and Academics
In addition to being a beloved educator, Bill Windsor is a role model for the impact Stevens Professors of Practice can have on students, research and society.
You can take Bill Windsor out of the preclinical drug discovery laboratory, but you can’t take the lab out of this passionate, highly regarded pharmaceutical researcher. That’s why, in 2014 — when he retired from his 30-year career with Schering-Plough Research Institute, Merck and his own consulting company — Windsor joined the Stevens Institute of Technology Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology as an adjunct professor and volunteer researcher.
Today, he’s one of what the department calls its Professors of Practice. These distinguished faculty members, including non-tenure track and adjunct professors, bring extensive academic and industry experiences and invaluable real-world insights into the classroom and laboratory.
Unlike tenure-track faculty who must also deliver published research and external funding, these instructors focus directly on personal mentoring, practical teaching and powerful research opportunities. They also provide unique support to the senior research capstone program, which gives student chemists, chemical biologists and biologists experience in basic research prior to graduation.
“The more hands-on research opportunities we can provide, the more marketable our students will be,” Windsor said. “Professors of Practice can play a crucial role in expanding those opportunities.”
Windsor has personally invested time and funds to expand the department’s laboratory facilities and to provide additional resources for students to pursue their chosen research.
“The more hands-on research opportunities we can provide, the more marketable our students will be,” Windsor said. “Professors of Practice can play a crucial role in expanding those opportunities.”
Maximizing real-world experiences for real-life success
Before he came to Stevens, Windsor had directed preclinical pharmaceutical drug discovery teams in oncology and biochemistry, helping advance six drug candidates (including Boceprevir, the first oral therapy for hepatitis C) into clinical trials. He chaired Merck’s 100-member Protein Kinase Working Group, which pioneered vital drug discovery methods for cancer and immunological diseases. He also co-authored more than 45 peer-reviewed papers, contributed to published books and earned 11 worldwide patents.
When Windsor retired from Merck, his longtime colleague and Stevens adjunct professor Nick Murgolo recruited him to bring his notable expertise to Stevens.
“I had always enjoyed teaching in the industry setting,” Windsor said. “The transition to academia was admittedly a challenge, but Woo Lee, Professor and Chair of the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Patricia Muisener, teaching professor, Kenny Wong, teaching associate professor, Sunil Paliwal, teaching associate professor, and the whole department have been welcoming and helpful in sharing the ‘tricks of the trade’ and inviting me to participate in department projects.”
He is deeply grateful for the opportunity to develop courses and help students transform from curious learners into confident scientists.
“That has been one of the most meaningful experiences of my career,” he said.
Windsor’s innovative courses — including Cell Signal Transduction, Biophysical Chemistry, Biotechnology Lab Techniques and special-topics seminars on COVID-19 and cancer immunotherapies — reflect his deep industry knowledge. He works to combine complex studies of the molecular mechanisms of disease with a clear, practical understanding of how drugs are discovered, tested, and brought to patients.
“Having been a hiring manager, I know what skillsets are valuable to those who are evaluating new graduates,” Windsor explained. “I make sure my students learn state-of-the-art techniques that make them more attractive in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry and higher education.”
In 2014, Windsor partnered with Peter Tolias, the previous department chair, to establish, renovate and acquire donated and second-hand equipment for a biochemistry and biophysics laboratory. In that lab, he and pharmaceutical researcher and volunteer Frank Podlaski trained 16 students — nine undergraduates, five master’s degree students, and two Ph.D. candidates — on disease mechanisms that promote cancer. Many of those former students are now active in pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical research as well as education.
“Dr. Windsor encouraged independence but was always there for support, and it was apparent he loved guiding the next generation,” recalled Joanna (Kopko) Modi M.S. ’21, now a Ph.D. candidate at Columbia University. “He created an environment where no question felt dumb and where we learned not just how to design and conduct experiments, but also how to think like real scientists.”
Windsor quickly became determined to ensure resources are available to help these students continue to pursue their promising ideas. He and his wife, Mary, have generously donated funds to support undergraduate research projects. He is also serving as an ambassador for the department’s fund-raising efforts.
“As a judge for the year-end senior capstone poster presentations for the past four years, I have seen interesting, novel projects,” he said. “I also saw that some research could have gone further if students had had access to additional funds. My wife and I donated to help students push the boundaries a little more and make the experience even more meaningful. Maximizing student experiences is critical for their future.”
“Having been a hiring manager, I know what skillsets are valuable to those who are evaluating new graduates,” Windsor explained. “I make sure my students learn state-of-the-art techniques that make them more attractive in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry and higher education.”
‘The single most influential person’
Bill Windsor’s support has shaped career trajectories and fostered a sense of belonging at Stevens.
“After joining Dr. Windsor’s lab, I felt like I truly belonged,” said Modi. “While some students find their community through sports or Greek life, I found my passion and people in the Windsor Lab. He is probably the single most influential person who shaped my professional career.”
Another former student, Paulina Georgoutsos B.S. ’24 M.S. ‘25, is now pursuing her doctor of podiatric medicine degree at New York College of Podiatric Medicine. She valued how Windsor always made himself available to help each student, and she credits him for thoroughly preparing her to hit the ground running as she continues her studies.
“I feel steps ahead because of the strong foundation he gave me,” Georgoutsos said. “His interactive Cell Signal Transduction class elevated my learning experience and made other subjects feel more connected and engaging. He challenged us to think critically, understand functions and analyze situations. He showed me how to connect foundational science to real-world medical applications and industry trends, preparing me to tackle complex clinical scenarios with confidence and insight.”
Over 12 years as a Professor of Practice at Stevens, Bill Windsor has shared real-world savvy, built confidence, ignited clarity and facilitated resources to help students leverage their education to make a true difference in the world.
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