Rockward joined the faculty of Morehouse College in 1998. He was research director of the Materials and Optics Research & Engineering (MORE) Laboratory. He worked on nanolithography, terahertz imaging and physics education. He developed a range of research experiences for undergraduates and the Scholarly Mentorship in Laboratory Experiences (SMILE) program. He also established the Nuclear, Materials, and Space Sciences (NuMaSS) Summer School (NuMaSS) which introduced middle and high school students to a physics career. He was awarded tenure in 2008.