Anastasio: Lab's students are 'nation's hope for the future'

Describes Los Alamos science, fields questions

June 24, 2010—Calling Laboratory students the nation's hope for the future, Laboratory Director Michael Anastasio on Wednesday said, "Maybe one of you will be up here in 20 years' time, directing the Laboratory. I sure hope so."

Anastasio made these and other comments to students at the annual all-student meeting in the Duane Smith Auditorium at Los Alamos High School. Following an overview of the science, technology, and engineering being done at the Lab, Anastasio fielded a number of student questions.

Student questions

After an introduction by Laboratory Student Association co-chair Brian Kiedrowski, Anastasio stepped down from the podium to stand at eye level with the hundreds of Lab students who attended. He gave an overview of the Lab's contributions to the nation in fields ranging from energy security and renewable energy to climate change, nuclear energy, and national and global security. Anastasio then answered student questions in an extended question-and-answer session. He touched on the Lab's involvement in the BP oil spill disaster, addressed the rationale behind the extensive training Lab students (and other employees) must complete, and, in response to a student query, described a typical day in his life.

"I do meetings; that's my profession," Anastasio said, drawing a chuckle from students. The theoretical physicist and former director of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory explained that the majority of his time is taken up with meetings. Many of these take place in Washington D.C., where he seeks to inform policy makers of LANL's capabilities and strengths. "It's a question of letting people know what we can do for them," he said.

Pockets of excellence

Los Alamos' capabilities are impressive and wide-ranging, Anastasio said, noting, "There are so many pockets of excellence in science, technology, and engineering here." Another strength is the Lab's ability to pull together brilliant people at short notice, he said. Finally, citing MagViz, a Lab-developed technology that uses magnetic resonance imaging to distinguish between dangerous and harmless liquids in airport luggage, as an example, he lauded the Lab's capability to take ideas and turn them into practical applications that have the potential to change people's lives for the better.

A number of individuals Labwide who are involved in or support the Lab's student programs were lauded at the meeting. These included Deputy Principal Associate Director for Science, Technology and Engineering Duncan McBranch; Kim Thomas of the Science and Technology Base Program Office; Dave Foster, Scott Robbins, and Brenda Montoya of the Education and Postdoc Office; Melissa Robinson of the Science and Technology Base Program Office; and members of the Lab's Student Association.