2/2/01 - Michael L. Kleper has been named the Paul and Louise Miller Distinguished Professor in the School of Printing Management and Sciences (SPMS), part of the College of Imaging Arts and Sciences at Rochester Institute of Technology. As part of his new responsibilities, Kleper will develop and teach new publishing-related courses. He has already received approval for Database Publishing Concepts, a new course that examines various techniques for processing database-derived information into published form. In addition, Kleper will work with undergraduate and graduate students on research projects and investigative studies. "Professor Kleper has the stature, knowledge and experience to help lead the School of Printing Management and Sciences into the new millennium," says Frank Romano, SPMS administrative chair. "Faculty, staff and students are excited by his involvement in our new curriculum and the future of the school." After earning his B.S. and M.S. degrees from RIT, Kleper joined the faculty at RIT’s National Technical Institute for the Deaf. He taught courses there in printing, digital publishing, and imaging technology for over 30 years. Kleper has published books that chronicle the history, development and practical applications of the typesetting and publishing process, including manual, mechanical, automatic and digital methods. His most recent work, The Handbook of Digital Publishing, is a two-volume set published by Prentice Hall, and is the largest work ever produced on the topic, and one of the largest on the subject of publishing. An e-book version is also being published.