Through my more than twenty years at Los Alamos, I've witnessed firsthand the growth of diversity both at the Laboratory and in the Northern New Mexico community. I'm heartened by the opportunity that this diversity brings, and I also understand the inherent challenges that it presents. It is often difficult to leverage another's knowledge and experience when it is so different from one's own.
Yet the Los Alamos workforce has long worked within a global environment. We encourage and value what the scientific community has long known to be crucial to progress—the dissenting opinion and the creative mind. Our differences, both visible and invisible, are our strengths. While it is sometimes difficult to incorporate a new way of thinking, the rewards are immense.
As we face our future together, I hope you will come to us with your thoughts on how to continue our journey toward a nurturing, respectful environment where equal opportunity is a forgone conclusion.
