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Laboratory’s 60th anniversary celebration begins today

An anniversary address by Interim Laboratory Director Pete Nanos, awarding of the Los Alamos Medal and a forum with four former Laboratory directors today kicks off six months of celebrations of the Laboratory's 60th anniversary.

The formal contract between the federal government and the University of California establishing the Laboratory was signed on April 20, 1943, although some historians point to March 6, 1943, the initial informal meeting of the scientific committee headed by Los Alamos' first director, J. Robert Oppenheimer.

Anniversary events begin with a special address by Nanos scheduled for 9 a.m. It is followed by a forum moderated by Nanos that includes former Laboratory directors Harold Agnew (1970-1979), Donald Kerr (1979-1985), Sig Hecker (1986-1997) and John Browne (1997-2003). Each will discuss his accomplishments and challenges as Laboratory director.

The media is invited to talk with the directors afterwards, at 11:30 a.m.

At 1:15 p.m., Laboratory Senior Fellow Emeritus George Cowan and Senior Fellow Emeritus Louis Rosen will be awarded the Los Alamos Medal for their decades of contributions to the Laboratory and their scientific and professional accomplishments (see Dec. 16, 2002 Daily Newsbulletin).

On Tuesday evening, the Los Alamos Historical Society will host the directors at a public forum in the Duane Smith Auditorium at Los Alamos High School. Additional information is available from the Historical Society at 662-6272, and tickets are on sale at the Historical Society Museum Shop next to Fuller Lodge downtown or at the door for $5 each.

Schedules and general information about 60th anniversary activities are available at http://sixty.lanl.gov online. New events will be added to the event schedule frequently.

For more information, see the April 2 Daily Newsbulletin.

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