5 December 2002

Plainsboro, New Jersey -- Bob Simmons, an engineer at the U.S. Department of Energy's Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), is the recipient of the first Engineering and Technology Management Leadership Award of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). Simmons received the honor at the 2002 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition in New Orleans in November. The award recognizes him for "extraordinary leadership in raising the value and significance of engineering and technology management."

The honor has been permanently designated as the Robert T. Simmons Leadership Award, which will be given annually. It was established to recognize Simmons for exhibiting strong leadership within the ASME. Simmons developed a strategic plan for the ASME's Engineering and Technology Management Group, noting the group's importance in providing organizational and management guidance to mechanical engineers and ASME members. "While most of the ASME groups focus on basic engineering skills and accomplishments, our group is concerned with 'how' the work is accomplished, striving to ensure that it is done right," said Simmons, vice president of the ASME Engineering and Technology Management Group.

Simmons, who joined PPPL's staff in 1989 as a project control manager for the Advanced Projects Department, is presently the Systems Engineering Support Manager for the National Compact Stellarator Experiment (NCSX).

"For many years, Bob has been a leader in raising the standard for engineering and technology management at PPPL. We are very pleased that the ASME is highlighting the importance of this area and giving Bob some well-deserved recognition for his leadership," said NCSX Head Hutch Neilson.

Simmons received a bachelor of science degree from the Naval Academy and a master's in business administration from Ohio State University. Before coming to PPPL, he worked in private industry as a project manager for nuclear power plant services and served nine years on U.S. Navy nuclear submarines in various capacities, including as a supply officer, weapons officer, reactor controls officer, main propulsion assistant, and operations officer/navigator. He retired from the Navy as a reserve captain in 1991. Simmons is a resident of Montgomery Township.

PPPL, funded by the DOE and managed by Princeton University, is a collaborative national center for science and innovation leading to an attractive fusion energy source.

For further information, please contact:

Anthony R. DeMeo
Head
Information Services
Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
(609) 243-2755
ademeo@pppl.gov

Patricia Wieser
Information Services
Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
(609) 243-2757
pwieser@pppl.gov

To download photo, click on the link below. When the large photo appears in your browser do the following: (1) if you are on a PC click your right mouse button and select "Save Picture As..." or (2) if you are on a MAC hold down the mouse button on the photo and select "Save this Image As..."

Downloadable print-quality photo of Mr. Bob Simmons. Resolution is 300 dpi, print size is approximately 3.6 inches wide by 3.2 inches high, file type is jpeg, and file size is 1.0 MB. Photo by Elle Starkman, PPPL.