Printer friendly version

Laboratory Director G. Peter Nanos reminded Lab workers on Monday that safety and security remains one of five priorities at the Laboratory. At his State of the Lab address, Nanos said Los Alamos' national security mission, outstanding science in support of the Lab's mission, business operations and management practices and community partnerships also are priorities. "We live in and we're nurtured in these communities," Nanos said of the community partnerships. "It is the strength of the communities that nurture us that is extremely important."

Nanos State of Lab address highlights teamwork, accomplishments and a vibrant future

Laboratory Director G. Peter Nanos on Monday highlighted the value of teamwork and expressed optimism and excitement about the future of the Laboratory during his second State of the Lab Address.

Nanos said he was pleased that the present-day perception of the Laboratory stands in stark contrast to a year ago when he first assumed leadership.

"Today Los Alamos [National Laboratory] is a much different place," he said to Lab workers in the Administration Building Auditorium at Technical Area 3 and others watching on LABNET.

Using a diverse multi-media backdrop that illustrated team efforts and attributes from the worlds of sports, music and armed conflict, Nanos expressed pride in the Laboratory work force and the accomplishments of the past year. Much of the success, he said, could be attributed to a team effort at the Laboratory.

"It's not about the coaches," Nanos said. "It's all about the team. But more importantly, it's about the will of the team."

A video presentation underscored examples of highly effective teams with clips from cinema favorites such as "Apollo 13," "Hoosiers" and "The Junction Boys" along with historical footage and sports highlights such as the 1999 U.S. Women's World Cup Soccer Team. Each team in the video presentations had to surmount odds of one type or another in order to achieve victory or a sense of peace and accomplishment.

To illustrate that the Laboratory now has forward momentum, Nanos mentioned major successes of the past year, which included improvements to the Laboratory's Nuclear Weapons Program, scientific accomplishments, receipt of numerous scientific awards, modernization and consolidation of infrastructure and improvements to business processes.

During the past year, Nanos said, the Nuclear Weapons Program has been reorganized and has seen vast improvements to the Hydrodynamic Testing and Stockpile Life Extension programs.

Nanos speaks to a nearly full Administration Building Auditorium on Monday. At his State of the Lab address, Los Alamos' new slogan, "The World's Greatest Science Protecting America," was unveiled.

"The people involved in the weapons program have done a wonderful job in turning this around," he said.

The Laboratory also had a major milestone with the successful completion of Qual-1, the institution's first replacement pit that meets Department of Energy stockpile quality-control requirements.

"The folks out at TA-55 and the people who supported them really delivered the goods," said Nanos.

In addition, the institution saw great strides in the Spallation Neutron Source program and was awarded eight R&D 100 awards, giving Los Alamos the greatest number of awards won in 2003 by any national laboratory, Nanos said.

On the business side of the house, the Laboratory saw marked improvements during the last year, Nanos said. Major accomplishments included enhanced purchasing controls and accountability, completion and validation of the Laboratory's wall-to-wall inventory, a review of all general and administrative costs Labwide, a concerted effort to reduce overhead spending, delivery of employee salary adjustments, forward momentum in the Enterprise Project and creation of mechanisms to enhance business outreach in the region.

But the basis of the Laboratory still remains grounded in scientific achievement.

"People come to where the science is done, and that's this place," Nanos said. "One of the most important things we can do is keep this Lab as the place where the science is being done."

To that end, the director showcased the Laboratory's new Unique Value Proposition, or slogan: "The World's Greatest Science Protecting America."

The bold, new statement appears below the Laboratory logo, which has incorporated the fact that the Laboratory was established in 1943.

With a proud past and an exciting national security mission ahead, Nanos welcomed competition for the prime contract to operate the Laboratory.

"Any winning that's going to be done is going to be done by the work force of this Laboratory," Nanos said. "We are ready to win. The question is, 'are you ready to win?' "

The nearly capacity crowd burst into applause.

The State of the Lab Address will be rebroadcast repeatedly during the next two weeks on LABNET Channel 10 and IPTV-10. Check the LABNET Channel 10 schedule for rebroadcast times.

Nanos also presented the State of the Lab Address to the community of Los Alamos on Monday evening and is scheduled to present it again this evening in the Nick Salazar Center for the Performing Arts at Northern New Mexico Community College in Española.

--James E. Rickman

Other Headlines