by Sig Hecker
Oct. 31, 1997
It has been a pleasure and an honor
I hand over the keys to the Director's Office to John Browne with very mixed emotions. On one hand, I will miss the excitement of running this place for nearly 12 years. It has been both the most difficult and frustrating yet most rewarding job I have ever done. On the other hand, I am looking forward to returning to research and spending more time on two other topics: (1) the international problem of plutonium protection and management and (2) developing effective technical collaborations between universities, national laboratories and industry.
I will have a joint appointment with the Materials Science and Technology (MST) Division and the Nuclear Materials Technology (NMT) Division with an office in the open Materials Science Laboratory plus one in the secure area of TA-55 where I can get back to plutonium research.
I believe our Laboratory is in a good position scientifically, programmatically and fiscally to tackle the post-Cold War era. We have made significant progress in forging a more open and trusting relationship with our neighbors. We have also taken some important steps to run our operations safely, environmentally responsibly and more cost-effectively. Nevertheless, plenty of challenges remain as we strive to serve our nation in the future. Please give John your strong support to meet the challenges.
It has truly been a pleasure and an honor to have served as your Director. Best wishes to all of you.