Robert L. Gluckstern (924-2008) was chancellor of the university from June 975 to June 982. He received a B.S. in electrical engineering at the City College of New York in 944 and his doctorate in physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 948.

Prior to being named chancellor in 975, Gluckstern was the vice chancellor for academic affairs and provost at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, where he had been a professor since 964.

In his tenure as chancellor at Maryland, Gluckstern worked to upgrade the academic standards and entrance requirements. He also established scholarship programs that served as models elsewhere in the state, including what was then the Banneker minority scholarship.

His passion for education was such that he resigned his administrative role in 982 to return to teaching and research full-time.