Willie Rockward

Award citation

Willie Rockward has provided exemplary leadership, fellowship, and service to the Society of Physics Students (SPS) and Sigma Pi Sigma and its members for over 20 years. Beginning his career at Morehouse College, Dr. Rockward quickly established himself as a champion of undergraduate education and community through his work with SPS. Dr. Willlie Rockward received SPS's highest award for faculty - the Outstanding Chapter Adviser award in 2012 for his work with the chapter at Morehouse College. As a chapter adviser for many years, department chair, two term SPS Zone Councilor for zone 6 (2007-2013), and two term President of Sigma Pi Sigma (2014-2018), Willie became a fountain of energy and a rock of support for many individual members and the organization. He has helped the organization help to define the four pillars of Sigma Pi Sigma in the 21st century, been a champion of service and stewardship, and was instrumental in the evolution of the creation of a fund to support student travel to the Physics Congresses (PhysCon) in perpetuity. Willie has continued his work with undergraduate students through the National Society of Black Physicists (NSBP) and helped to connect NSBP with SPS.

Dr. Rockward once mentioned, “The strongly held belief of SPS and Sigma Pi Sigma is physics is for everyone because everyone does physics.” 

Biography

Dr. Rockward has a history of proven leadership as demonstrated by his service on numerous collegiate and professional association committees, including those of NSBP, APS, AAPT and SPS. Dr. Willie Rockward served as the president of Sigma Pi Sigma, serving from 2014-2018, as a zone councilor for zone 6 from 2007 - 2013, and recieved the Outstanding Chapter Adviser Award in 2012. He was a professor and chair in the Department of Physics at Morehouse College from 1998-2018 and joined Morgan State University as Department Chair in 2018.  In addition to his academic and research pursuits, Dr. Rockward has a strong history of engaging the undergraduate community around the topics of the four pillars of Sigma Pi Sigma: Honor, Encouragement, Service, and Fellowship.

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