William B. F. Ryan (born 1 September 1939 in Troy, New York, USA) is an American marine geologist and geophysicist known for his pioneering work in deep‑sea research and oceanographic instrumentation. He earned his B.A. from Williams College in 1961 and his Ph.D. in Geophysics from Columbia University in 1969. Over a long career at the Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory, he held roles including Adjunct Professor of Geology, Doherty Senior Scientist, and (since 2014) Doherty Senior Scholar, mentori...