Other News – December 2022
Extension of terms for Los Alamos National Laboratory’s management and operating contract announced by NNSA
December 19, 2022
The National Nuclear Security Administration has made the decision to exercise the options in Triad National Security LLC’s management and operating contract to extend it to Oct. 31, 2028.
In a statement to employees, Laboratory Director and Triad President and CEO Thom Mason said, “NNSA’s continued confidence in Triad’s leadership of the Laboratory is a recognition of the positive gains we have made as an institution since 2018 and the growing strength of our partnership.”
Triad took over the M&O contract for Los Alamos National Laboratory on Nov. 1, 2018 from Los Alamos National Security, LLC. Triad is a public-service oriented, national security science organization equally owned by its three founding members: Battelle Memorial Institute, the Texas A&M University System and the Regents of the University of California for the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration.
Math and Science Academy experts co-write article on teacher professional development
Education specialists from the Laboratory’s Math and Science Academy (MSA) co-wrote an article that was recently published in Education Sciences, an international peer-reviewed journal. Together with long-time MSA collaborator Rick Kitchen and Ali Bicer (both from the University of Wyoming), the Laboratory’s Monica Martinez-Archuleta and Lorenzo Gonzales wrote the article “Actualizing Change after Experiencing Significant Mathematics PD: Hearing from Teachers of Color about Their Practice and Mathematical Identities”. The article examines how seven elementary school teachers of color characterized their experiences as mathematics students, themselves as teachers of mathematics, and their mathematical identities after experiencing significant professional development in mathematics through MSA programs.
Laboratory supports 2022 NM Governor’s STEM Challenge
WIth support from the Laboratory, more than 400 students from across New Mexico participated in the fourth annual New Mexico Governor’s STEM Challenge, a competition testing high school students’ ability to use science, technology, engineering and math to solve real-world problems. New Mexico State University hosted the hybrid format 2022 showcase, with the virtual event held Dec. 2 and the in-person event held Dec. 3.
Led by New Mexico’s Office of the Governor, the challenge was a collaboration between NMSU, the New Mexico Public Education Department, the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions, the Los Alamos National Laboratory Foundation and 28 industry partners in the state, including the Laboratory.
Each team was composed of up to 10 students who designed and developed a project model to address the question, “Imagine New Mexico as a state known for sustainable and green manufacturing. What innovations or developments could be produced to foster our schools, jobs and communities?”. Judges from the Laboratory awarded their $5000 prize to the team from Bernalillo High School which worked on a project to turn food waste into hair dye.