Dr. William “Bill” Rose was born in Detroit, Michigan, in the year 1944, moving at the age of five to Corrales, New Mexico, where his affinity for geology first began. Dr. Rose attended Dartmouth College from 1962 to 1970, receiving his BA in 1966 and completing his PhD in 1970 under the supervision of Professor Richard Stoiber. Dr. Rose first began his studies in volcanology with Richard Stoiber, who offered him the opportunity to research volcanoes in Central America. Dr. Rose would later devote much of his career to studying this region, especially the country of Guatemala. It was during his time as a PhD student that he met his wife, Nanno, who he married in 1967 and with whom he had two sons, Chris and Jason. His family occasionally joined him on his research trips across the globe as a volcanologist.

Upon completing his PhD, Dr. Rose began his career at Michigan Technological University in September of 1970 as an Assistant Professor in Petrology in the Department of Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences (GMES). He rose to the rank of Associate Professor in 1974, eventually obtaining the ranks of full Professor in 1979 and Research Professor in 2011. Dr. Rose served as the Chair of GMES from 1990 to 1998, during which time he was instrumental in establishing signature programs such as the International Masters in Volcanology and Geotechniques (INVOGE) and the Peace Corps Master’s International Program in Mitigation of Geologic Natural Hazards. Dr. Rose also led the development of the Remote Sensing Institute at Michigan Technological University in 1998, twice serving as its director, and he initiated the Remote Sensing Minor program for undergraduates at the university.

Throughout his career, Dr. Rose worked across a number of different topics within volcanology, publishing more than 150 academic papers on his research investigating such topics as gas measurements of volcanic emissions, ash/aerosol interactions, aircraft hazards, distal ash fallout patterns, and the detection of ice in volcanic clouds. Through his research, he developed the first methodology to use thermal infrared satellite data for quantitative retrievals of ash particles, size, and cloud mass, which formed the basis for current methods of infrared retrieval.

After his retirement, Dr. Rose remained active in the local community and worked to promote a greater public understanding of geoheritage, especially in the Copper Country region. In collaboration with the Isle Royale & Keweenaw Parks Association, Dr. Rose created a geoheritage guide to the Keweenaw Peninsula and Isle Royale to educate the public about the region’s geological and cultural history. He also led tours of different places of geological interest on the Keweenaw Peninsula and Isle Royale for both students at Michigan Technological University and members of the local community.

Dr. William Rose passed away on July 17, 2025 at his home in Eagle Harbor, Michigan.