In Memoriam: Wes Doggett

Retired physics professor Wes Doggett died Dec. 22 at his home in Raleigh after a courageous battle against cancer. He was 82.

He was an undergraduate in the physics department from 1949 to 1952, finishing with the first graduating class in the world’s first Bachelor of Nuclear Engineering program.

He was awarded the first pre-doctoral fellowship offered by the newly created National Science Foundation to attend graduate school at UC-Berkeley, where he earned his master’s and Ph.D.

Doggett joined the physics faculty at NC State in 1958 and served as assistant dean of the new School of Physical Sciences and Applied Mathematics from 1964 to 1968. He was a member of the NC State Academy of Outstanding Teachers, and was known for his rigorous physics courses.

He retired in 1993, but continued to contribute his time as expertise, serving as associate editor of the Lanczos Papers. In 2011 the Wesley Doggett Award for Scholarly Achievement was endowed to recognize and inspire the top graduating seniors.

Read his obituary online.