Nuclear technologies play a critical role in many fields, including space exploration, the defense industry, medical diagnosis and treatment, energy generation, and next-generation manufacturing. Having a technically skilled workforce that understands these technologies and can apply them in situ is critical to the continued advancement of our society.

However, the United States has hit a crossroads. A vast majority of the nuclear mavericks that developed and launched these nuclear fields are, or are close to, retiring. While academic training programs have emerged across the nation to capture and pass on their wisdom and knowledge, it is hard to replace their passion and pride. RCNET commissioned this book to capture the biographies of nine such pioneers in hopes of passing on their traits. Through the yes of these nuclear mavericks, the reader will see the blood, sweat, tears, and ultimately, the smiles that went into building America's nuclear industries.