William H. Ittleson *50

William Ittleson, retired professor of psychology at the University of Arizona, died Sept. 20, 2017, at age 97.

Ittleson graduated from Columbia University in 1942 with a degree in electrical engineering. He joined the Navy and worked on radar in the Naval Research Laboratory, after which he was sent to the South Pacific for installation of the new radar. In 1946, he enrolled at Princeton and earned a master’s degree in electrical engineering in 1948.

In 1950 he switched his major and earned a Ph.D. in psychology. Ittleson taught at Princeton for five years before joining the faculty at CUNY from 1955 to 1975, first at Brooklyn College and then at the Graduate Center. He joined the faculty at the University of Arizona in 1975, and retired in 1997.

Many regarded Ittleson as the founder of the field of environmental psychology. Much of his work dealt with how our environment influences cognition and behavior. Professionally, he was a kind and supportive colleague and a devoted mentor.

Ittleson was predeceased in 1998 by his wife of 52 years, Martha. He is survived by a son and granddaughter.

Graduate memorials are prepared by the APGA.