Robert Louis (Bob) Ferguson (born October 26, 1932) was a nuclear-trained physicist and a 60-year veteran in the field of nuclear energy. He was best known for being appointed the first Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy Programs for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) by the first Energy Secretary, James Schlesinger, serving from 1978 to 1980 during President Jimmy Carter's administration. Ferguson was also known for taking leadership of the Washington Public Power Supply System (WPPSS) in 1980 as the "no nonsense manager" during troubled times for the nuclear power industry.