As
all Sandians should be aware by now, 1999 marks the
fiftieth year of Sandia's existence as an independent
laboratory. In its first half century, Sandia has grown
and changed in a volatile world. Born in the perilous
years of the early Cold War, Sandia has contributed
significantly to the nation's military security and
played a key role in bringing a peaceful conclusion
to the Cold War.
![Queen Victoria](vic14.jpg) Queen
Victoria was another famous institution that also
celebrated a Golden Jubilee, and went on to have
a Diamond Jubilee (Sandia's will be in 2009).
|
Details on Sandia's history are being covered extensively
in a number of observances and events at both the New
Mexico and California sites leading up to November 1,
1999, the Laboratories' official birthday. For the first
time ever, the Albuquerque Journal included a
special Sandia supplement on July 11 to highlight our
service to the nation and the community, a striking
contrast to the deliberately low profile that Sandia
maintained during most of its history.
For its part, the Sandia Archives/History
team is supporting these 50th anniversary events by
providing research and archival materials. To commemorate
Sandia's 50th anniversary, Research Historian Rebecca
Ullrich compiled a 1999 calendar based on Sandia's
history, which was distributed to all active and retired
Sandians. Another A&H team effort was its ever-popular
table at the 1999 Retiree Picnic at the Coronado Club
in May; retirees celebrated Sandia's birthday while
perusing small exhibits from the Corporate Archives
and helping us identify people and events in old photographs.
WIPP history to be Published Soon
Another significant Sandia anniversary/milestone
also occurs this year: The 25th anniversary of Sandia's
participation in the WIPP project and the first shipment
of radioactive transuranic waste to the site on March
26, 1999. Later this year, the definitive historical
account of Sandia's role in this significant and controversial
project will be published. Written by Corporate Historian
Carl J. Mora, Sandia and the Waste Isolation Pilot
Plant, 1974-1999 (SAND99-1482) is based on primary
documents (from the days when people still painstakingly
typed letters and memos, and didn't discard them after
a few months), interviews with many of the original
participants in the project, and newspaper accounts.
the principal source and inspiration for this history
has been, of course, the Sultan of Salt himself, Wendell
Weart, whose long association with WIPP achieved such
a well-deserved closure this year.
|