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Biography
AbstractImportant DatesOccupationPlacesSubjectsRelationships
PeopleInstitutionsResources
Archival as AuthorPublished as SubjectNorman C. Rasmussen
Dates
November 12, 1927 – July 18, 2003
Authorized Form of Name
Rasmussen, Norman C.
Additional Forms of Names
Rasmussen, N. C. (Norman C.)
Biography
Abstract
Norman Rasmussen was McAfee Professor of Nuclear Engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) (1983-1994). His early research was in radiation detection, including activation analysis, low-level counting techniques, and gamma-ray spectroscopy. Later, Rasmussen wrote the 1975 Reactor Safety Study, which studied the public risk of nuclear power plants and applied the probabilistic appraoch to risk assessment to the nuclear industry for the first time.
Important Dates
November 12, 1927Birth, Harrisburg (Pa.).
1950Obtained BA, Gettysburg College, Gettysburg (Pa.).
1956Obtained PhD, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge (Mass.).
1956 – 2003Instructor of Physics (1956-1958); Assistant Professor to Professor of Nuclear Engineering (1958-1983); Head, Department of Nuclear Engineering (1975-1981); McAfee Professor of Nuclear Engineering (1983-1994); and Emeritus Professor of Nuclear Engineering (1994-2003), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge (Mass.).
1972 – 1982Consultant, United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
1973 – 1993Consultant, Cabot Corporation.
1974 – 1977Member, Defense Science Board, United States Department of Defense.
1976 – 1984Consultant, EG&G Idaho, Inc..
1977 – 1984Consultant, Nuclear Utilities Services Corporation.
1979Member, National Academy of Sciences.
1982 – 1988Member, National Science Board.
1985Awarded Enrico Fermi Award, United States Department of Energy.
July 18, 2003Death, Concord (Mass.).
Occupation
Nuclear engineer.
Places
Birth
Undergraduate Education
Graduate Education
Employment
Death
Subjects
Relationships
People
Family
Rasmussen, Neil E.
Son.
Rasmussen, Thalia Tichenor
Wife. Married 1952.
Soule, Arlene Rasmussen
Daughter.
Colleagues
Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Drell, Sidney D. (Sidney David), 1926-
Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Lee, P. A. (Patrick A.), 1946-
Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Livingston, M. Stanley (Milton Stanley)
Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Low, Francis E. (Francis Eugene), 1921-2007
Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Morse, Philip M. (Philip McCord), 1903-1985
Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Slater, John C. (John Clarke), 1900-1976
Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Stratton, Julius Adams, 1901-1994
Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Weisskopf, Victor Frederick, 1908-2002
Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Wiesner, Jerome B. (Jerome Bert), 1915-1994
Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Zacharias, Jerrold Reinach, 1905-1986
Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Institutions
Major Positions
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Nuclear Engineering
Assistant Professor to Professor; Department Head; McAfee Professor; and Emeritus Professor of Nuclear Engineering.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Physics
Obtained PhD (1956). Instructor.
Professional Activities & Affiliations
Cabot Corporation
Consultant.
EG & G, Inc.
Consultant.
Gettysburg College
Obtained BA (1950).
National Academy of Sciences (U.S.)
Member.
National Science Board (U.S.)
Member.
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Consultant.
United States. Defense Science Board
Member.
United States. Department of Energy
Received 1985 Enrico Fermi Award.
Resources
Archival Resources
Author
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Department of Nuclear Engineering curriculum materials, 1952-1990.
Institute Archives and Special Collections
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
M.I.T. Libraries, Rm. 14N-118, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
Norman C. Rasmussen papers, 1956-1995.
Institute Archives and Special Collections
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
M.I.T. Libraries, Rm. 14N-118, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
Published Resources
Subject
"Norman Carl Rasmussen: 1927-2003", Biographical Memoirs of the National Academy of Sciences.