Scholarship is planned in memory of ASME Fellow William (Doc) Cooper

Emily M. Smith
ASME NEWS

ASME is exploring the creation of a one-time scholarship to honor William Eugene (Doc) Cooper, 79, an ASME Fellow who was active in Codes and Standards for many years. He died in April in Lexington, Mass., where he lived.

At the time of his death, the family had asked those who wished to acknowledge Cooper to continue his tradition of helping young engineers by providing scholarship funds though the ASME Foundation. Anyone who wishes to make a donation in Cooper's name should contact David Soukup at (212) 591-7397 or by e-mail at soukupd@asme.org.

William Cooper

Active in many organizations, within ASME, Cooper served as senior vice president and chair for the Council on Codes and Standards. He chaired the Metals Engineering Division and served on the Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Committee.

After receiving his B.S. and M.S. degrees from Oregon State University, Cooper earned his Ph.D. at Purdue University in 1951. From 1952-63, he worked at General Electric's Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory, where he helped to design the first nuclear submarine.

At Teledyne Materials Research, where he was a senior vice president and technical director, he specialized in pressure vessel design and nuclear power systems construction and operation.

Among the many professional honors Cooper received were the ASME International President's Award, the ASME Bernard F. Langer Nuclear Codes and Standards Award, the ASME Codes and Standards Medal and the William M. Murray Lecture Award. Cooper is a Purdue Distinguished Engineering Alumnus and was elected to membership in the National Academy of Engineering in 1983.

He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Louise Ferguson Cooper of Lexington, by five children and six grandchildren. Over the years, his home was open to many children, including five foster children.

In a letter to one of his daughters, June Ling, ASME associate executive director, Codes and Standards, described Cooper as "a brilliant engineer and a mentor for so many of the engineers serving in the industry and scientific community. He was a pioneer in the design of nuclear power plants and his legacy will live on through the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code used throughout the world as a standard for public safety."

 

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