Theodore Rockwell '43 *45 honored as engineer and author
Ted Rockwell received the Pioneer Award from the World Nuclear Association (WNA) during its 33rd Symposium held in London on September 4, 2008.
The award recognized his valuable contributions in the early development of nuclear technology and his continuing support over 60 years for the peaceful and safe worldwide use of nuclear energy.
During the 1950s and into the 1960s, Rockwell played a significant role as Admiral H. G. Rickover’s technical director working on the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program, building the nuclear-powered U.S. Navy and overseeing the construction of the world’s first commercial atomic power plant in Shippingport, Pennsylvania.
In 1964 Rockwell along with two colleagues founded MPR Associates, an engineering firm located in Alexandria, Virginia. The work of the firm includes improve the operations of existing power plants, apply technology to clean up air and water, develop medical devices and biotech products.
In October of 2008, Rockwell learned that his novel, The Virtual Librarian: A Tale of Alternative Realities, was chosen as an award-winning finalist in the visionary fiction category of the 5th Annual National Best Books Awards. The competition is sponsored by USA Book News and is open to entries from major publishers and independent houses.
Rockwell has written numerous non-fiction and technical books. Among the topics is the early history of nuclear energy, including the highly regarded The Rickover Effect: How One Man Made a Difference. The Virtual Librarian is his first novel.
His technical writing efforts date back to when he was an undergraduate student at Princeton and was the co-founder of Princeton Engineer magazine in 1941. Rockwell received both his B.S.E. and M.S.E. in chemical engineering. He later returned to that department to serve as a member of its Advisory Council from 1966 to 1972.
