246 Los Alamos Science Number 28 2003

Historians mark the beginning of Los Alamos National Laboratory

with two dates—the initial meeting of J. Robert Oppenheimer’s Scientific

Committee in Los Alamos on March 6, 1943, and the signing of the first oper-

ating contract between the federal government and the University of California

on April 20, 1943. The 60th anniversary of the Laboratory was commemorated

with numerous activities, starting in April and concluding in September.

Planned by a task force of volunteers, the anniversary activities celebrated the

Laboratory’s historic contributions and accomplishments; appreciated people,

communities, and institutions as enablers of the Laboratory; and anticipated

future directions and challenges. The winning entry in a Laboratory-wide slogan

contest provided the 60th anniversary theme, “Ideas That Change the World.”

Celebrate, appreciate, and anticipate—these words sum up the mood of the

Laboratory during the celebrations. We recapture that mood in these pages.

Participating in a Director’s forum wereHarold Agnew (1970–79), Sig Hecker(1986–1997), and John Browne (1997–2003).John Hopkins represented Don Kerr(1979–1985). Director Pete Nanos moderatedthe forum, which was complemented by the

Celebration KickoffPete Nanos, then Interim Director, kicked offthe anniversary celebrations with an address tothe Laboratory. He reflected on national serv-ice as the sustaining role of the Laboratorysince 1942. He termed the Laboratory’s scien-tific achievements as the “gold standard for thecountry” and lauded the partnership and con-tributions of the University of California. InJuly 2003, the Board of Regents of theUniversity of California confirmed Nanos asthe seventh director of the Los AlamosNational Laboratory.

evening program “Three Decades of Directorshipat Los Alamos,” hosted by the Los AlamosHistorical Society. During this program of publictribute, Harold Agnew received the University ofCalifornia Presidential Medal for a lifetime ofoutstanding leadership and commitment.

Former Directors Discussed the Lab’s Scientific Accomplishments

Highlights of the Laboratory’s Anniversary Celebration

“As our country continues to deal with security threats at home and abroad, the work

that is being done at this national lab is more

important today than at any other time.”

—Richard C. Atkinson, University of California President

Written and designed by Dennis J. Erickson and Andrea M. Gaskey

(Left to right) Harold Agnew, John Hopkins, Pete Nanos, Sig Hecker, and John Browne.

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Ideas That Change the World

A Lifetime of TurbulenceFrank Harlow delivered the inaugural Heritage Lecture on the occasion of50 years as a Los Alamos theorist. In a talk entitled “A Lifetime ofTurbulence,” Harlow reflected on five decades of work in dealing with thecomplexity of turbulence and its application through models. A renownedphysicist and beloved mentor, Harlow is credited by many colleagues withgiving birth to the science of computer fluid dynamics.

Monte Carlo ConferenceMarked the 50th Anniversaryof the Metropolis AlgorithmMarshall Rosenbluth gave the keynoteaddress at a June conference held in LosAlamos to commemorate the 50th anniver-sary of the publication of this famous andwidely applied algorithm. The article,authored by Nick Metropolis, Arianna

Rosenbluth, Marshall Rosenbluth, Mici Teller, and Edward Teller, pro-vided the basis for the Monte Carlo method to become a powerful meansto study the properties of physical systems. The Journal of Computingand Information Science in Engineering recently categorized theMetropolis algorithm as one of the top ten of the twentieth century.

Pit Manufacturing Milestone AnnouncedUniversity of California President Richard Atkinson and NNSAAdministrator Linton Brooks converse following the pit manufacturenews conference. Director Pete Nanos joined U.S. Senator PeteDomenici, Ambassador Brooks, and President Atkinson in announc-ing the Los Alamos manufacture of the first nuclear weapons pit in 14years that meets U.S. stockpile design and quality specifications.Some 700 Laboratory employees and contractors were praised fortheir efforts that began in 1996.

2002 Los Alamos MedalsAwarded to Louis Rosen and George Cowan Instituted by former Director John Browne,the medals recognize extraordinary scientificachievement. Rosen was cited for vision, leader-ship, and sustained contributions to nuclear sci-ence and application. Cowan was recognized forpioneering work in radiochemical techniquesand for scientific leadership in the Laboratoryand the community.

Origins of Early H-Bomb Discussed at Special Classified ForumConrad Longmire, Richard Garwin, and Harris Mayer returned toLos Alamos to discuss their research and work, based on EdwardTeller’s theoretical design, that led directly to the first hydrogenbomb tested in the Los Alamos Mike event in late 1952.

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Ideas That Change the World

tories; and academia. NNSA AdministratorLinton Brooks, Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM),Rep. Tom Udall (D-NM), and New MexicoGov. Bill Richardson commented on theLaboratory’s six decades of scientific achieve-ment and continued importance. Special recog-nitions were extended to neighboring counties,cities, and pueblos. In addition, Nanos andBrooks reaffirmed the 1994 accord agreementswith the governors of Santa Clara, SanIldefonso, Jemez, and Cochiti Pueblos.

On April 22, Director Pete Nanos, Universityof California President Richard Atkinson, andU.C. Regents Chair John Moores expressedappreciation for 60 years of sustained supportand partnership to numerous distinguishedguests representing federal, state, tribal, andlocal governments and agencies; sister labora-

Family Festival Celebrated theContribution and Commitment ofExtended Lab Workforce and Families Thousands of Laboratory employees and their families werehosted at a July Saturday event at Sullivan Field in LosAlamos. The festival began with greetings from DirectorNanos and a proclamation from U.C. President RichardAtkinson. Later, participants enjoyed the games, food, andentertainment activities for kids. Special U.C. funds enabledthe event.

Lab and U.C. Say, “Thank You,” on Anniversary Recognition Day

Appreciation Extended toNeighboring Communities Several community events reflected the Laboratory’sappreciation for the support and partnership of neigh-bors. These events included Community Days in SantaFe, Chamber Fest in Los Alamos, the Eight NorthernIndian Pueblos (ENIP) Arts and Craft Show at SanJuan Pueblo, and Spirit Day in Española. Lab presenceincluded participation by Laboratory leaders and aninformation booth, which in turn featured a special dis-play highlighting the diverse and skilled people of theLaboratory. The Lab director, for example, participatedin the dedication of a new ENIP Visitors Center at SanJuan Pueblo as the permanent home for the Arts andCrafts Show.

“Our people make the difference. Individual

excellence is absolutelycritical…”

—Pete Nanos, Director, Los Alamos National Laboratory

“The nation looks forward to your future leadership.”

—Linton Brooks, Administrator, National Nuclear Security Administration

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During the Anniversary Recognition Day, Sen.Pete Domenici (R-NM), with the assistance ofAssociate Director Don Cobb, cut the ceremo-nial ribbon to dedicate the Nonproliferationand International Security Center. Thisimpressive facility, immediately adjacent tothe Nicholas C. Metropolis Center for

Plaque CommemoratesCompletion of DARHTFacilityNNSA Administrator Linton Brooks was thesenior DOE official participating at the dedica-tion of the recently completed Dual-AxisRadiographic Hydrodynamic Test (DARHT)Facility. The state-of-the-art high-explosive fir-ing site equipped with two intense flash-x-raymachines will be the stockpile stewardship pro-gram’s primary experimental facility for thecoming decade.

Issue Forums StimulatedDiscussion and SurfacedPerspectivesScientific and technical issues werediscussed in different forums. Aninternal Laboratory forum withrestricted attendance focused on“Nuclear Weapons Testing” from bothpolicy and technical perspectives.Other forums were specificallydesigned for public participation.Among them were “Water, Drought,and New Mexico” and “Risk: WhatDoes It Mean to You?,” held in SantaFe, and “Nuclear Power in the 21stCentury,” held in Los Alamos.

Science Day Focused on PredictionFeaturing special talks, panel discussions, and topicalsessions, the day-long event spanned institutionaldirection, societal contribution, and scientific accom-plishment in research fields such as superconductivity,nanotechnology, sensors, biology, and actinide chem-istry. Lab presenters included Deputy Director BillPress, senior scientists, and recipients of theDistinguished Postdoctoral Research Award. DirectorNanos also announced recipients of the newly createdFellows’ Prize for Outstanding Leadership in Scienceand Engineering.

Conference Focused onNuclear and ConventionalForcesAs a featured 60th anniversary event, the week-long conference “Nuclear and ConventionalForces: Issues for National Security Science andTechnology” convened national and interna-tional experts who addressed emerging defenserequirements given the new realities of theinternational security environment. The confer-ence, part of the Los Alamos Strategic Studiesprogram, was also used to educate the next gen-eration of Lab leaders.

Sen. Pete Domenici Cut Ribbon at NISC DedicationModeling and Simulation, will house 400employees. Sen. Domenici used the NISCdedication to deliver his “tough love” mes-sage, recommending DOE restructure theLab’s operating contract and open it to bidwhen the current U.C. contract expires inSeptember 2005.

Plutonium Futures Conference Anticipated ChallengesHeld in Albuquerque as the third of a series, this conferenceprovided an international forum for research on physical andchemical properties, environmental interactions of plutoniumand other actinide elements, and materials managementissues. A medal symbolizing the conference, the Lab’s 60thanniversary, and the July 16, 1945, Trinity test was presentedto each conference participant.

Photos: LeRoy Sanchez, Ed Vigil, Kristen Honig, Richard Robinson, and Mick Greenbank