NMT Launches a Science Leadership Council

The past few years have seen a tremendous growth of the Nuclear Materials Technology (NMT) Division in terms of programs and the operation of nuclear facilities. NMT Division now operates two major nuclear facilities, the Plutonium Facility at Technical Area 55 and the Chemistry and Materials Research Building at Technical Area 3. The combined two facilities employ some 700 regular University of California employees and more than 300 contract employees. In addition, NMT supports about 70 students, including postdoctoral research fellows, throughout the year. Some 290 technical staff members and 274 technicians are involved in scores of scientific and technical programs.

Figure 1. SLC members David Clark (ex officio) and George Havrilla pose by a bust of Hans Bethe; Barbara Martinez and Kirk Veirs converse during a break in the inaugural meeting.

The breadth and depth of the scientific and technical projects and their execution within the framework of the operation of nuclear facilities operation require a strong scientific and technical leadership as well as quality management of our resources and capabilities. This can be accomplished only through the active participation of all our members, from the planning stage to the execution of individual projects. The Science Leadership council (SLC) is born with this collective leadership and participatory management in mind.

In September seven distinguished NMT scientists joined the rank of NMT's newly established SLC. Nominated by their peers and chosen by a selection committee composed of internal and external reviewers, the council members are appointed by the NMT Division Director based on recommendations from the selection committee. The newly appointed members will serve the first three-year term (see Figure 2). Additional members will be appointed; qualified individuals are nominated every year to lead staggered terms. The SLC will consist of no more than ten NMT researchers at any one time.

Figure 2. Members of the newly established Science Leadership Council (SLC) are (left to right) Kirk Veirs, George Havrilla, Gordon Jarvinen, Sam Pillay, Barbara Martinez, Tom Zocco, and Wayne Smith. During the council's initial year, Division Chief Scientist K. C. Kim and the Director of the Los Alamos branch of the Seaborg Institute, David Clark, will be ex officio members of the council.

The SLC is composed of nonmanagerial scientific leaders of the division, and its members are selected based on criteria that include a record of significant scientific and technical achievement, peer recognition, publications, external reputation and visibility, and membership in and contributions to professional societies, including leadership positions in those societies. NMT SLC members will function for the division in a manner analogous to that in which the Laboratory Fellows function for the Laboratory, providing scientific leadership division-wide. Therefore, SLC members are the division equivalents of select "senior scientists."

The SLC does not replace the present leadership residing in the technical groups and the division. Its purpose is to augment NMT's scientific leadership by advising division management on important issues affecting NMT Divisionšs science and technology operations, programs, and plans. The council will provide a mechanism for the division's scientists and engineers to influence the scientific and technical directions of NMT Division. In addition, it is hoped that the establishment of the council will provide a path for advancement based upon technical accomplishment, with accompanying salary and prestige. The SLC will operate on the highest and most prestigious level and will report directly to the division management.

Figure 3. NMT consultant Gerd Rosenblatt and ex officio member K. C. Kim during the committee's meeting.

The SLC is charged with the following responsibilities:
(1) Drafting the division's strategic plan for science and technology;
(2) Enhancing the effectiveness of NMT's division-wide efforts in science and technology;
(3) Advising division management on future directions of research in NMT Division;
(4) Coordinating the recruitment and evaluation of postdoctoral applications;
(5) Enhancing the visibility of NMT science and technology externally and internally;
(6) Promoting NMT scientists for fellowships and memberships in professional societies, external awards and honors, and NMT and LANL awards including Laboratory fellowships; and
(7) Running a divisional seminar program.

In carrying out its charge, the SLC will meet regularly to define and address key issues regarding the effectiveness of science, technology, and research in NMT Division. The council also will be responsible for the divisionšs award program and for the division's nominations for external and Laboratory-wide awards.

The establishment of the SLC is one of a number of new steps NMT has taken toward enhancing its science and technology base in recent months. We hope that the launching of the SLC at this critical time will help the division enhance the visibility of its science and technology, promote an excellent workforce, and strive for excellence in everything we do.

This article was contributed by Kyu C. Kim, NMT chief scientist.

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