John Rockett ’51 ScM

John Rockett ’51 ScM, of Peterborough, N.H.; Dec. 30, after a short illness. After serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II and graduating from MIT, he obtained his master’s degree from Brown and his PhD from Harvard. He performed aerodynamic research for the MIT Aeroelastic Laboratory from 1950 to 1954 and in 1957 joined Pratt & Whitney, where he worked on jointly sponsored research with Harvard on compressor stall. He organized the Pratt & Whitney laboratory in applied physics in East Hartford and was chief of fuel cell technology from 1963 to 1966. His interest in combustion led him to work for the Factory Mutual Engineering Assoc., where he served as director of basic research before joining the National Bureau of Standards in 1968. His work there included studies on flame spread, fire induced convective air movement in buildings, and applied research on the prediction of growth and spread of building fires, which led to consulting with the NIH into the biological effects of smoke inhalation, flame retardant clothing, work on mine safety, and many other applications. He became chief of the office of fire research and safety at the Bureau of Standards, charged with the implementation of a series of fire research and safety acts, which resulted in the improved fire standards we have in many areas today. He later moved on to forensic work in fires. His continuing work with Harvard on fire simulation computer modeling led him to conduct forensic work on the Morton Thiokol plant explosion in Utah. He inspected container fires, subway systems in Europe, hull fires on ships, and air crashes. He retired at age 80 and obtained his qualification as a ski instructor. He continued to instruct until the age of 85 and skied well into his 90s. He was a member of the International Association for Fire Safety Science and the Society of Fire Protection Engineers. Phi Beta Kappa. He is survived by his wife, Abby; two children; and four grandchildren.