The Kuckuck Years
2003-2005

Robert W. Kuckuck was appointed director of Los Alamos National Laboratory effective May 16, 2005.

Kuckuck worked at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory for more than 35 years, holding a number of management positions including deputy director of the laboratory from 1994 to 2001.

Additional positions at LLNL included assistant program leader, Solid State Lasers from 1975 to 1977; assistant associate director for Nuclear Testing from 1977 to 1979; program leader for Treaty Verification Research from 1979 to 1981; deputy division leader (diagnostics physics) from 1979 to 1982; deputy associate director for Nuclear Design from 1982 to 1984; and, associate director for Nuclear Test and Experimental Science from 1984 to 1991. He began his career at LLNL as an experimental physicist.

From 1992 to 1994, Kuckuck was special assistant to the University for Laboratory Management. From 2001 to 2002, Kuckuck was deputy administrator at the National Nuclear Security Administration, having responsibility for internal operations and organization restructuring. After leaving NNSA in December of 2002, Kuckuck was appointed senior adviser in the University of Californiaʼs Office of Laboratory Management working on laboratory oversight issues.

Kuckuck received his doctorate in applied science from the University of California, Davis, and his masters in physics from Ohio State University. He did his undergraduate work in physics at West Liberty State College. In 2003, Kuckuck received the Department of Energy Secretaryʼs Gold Award. DOEʼs highest honor. The award citation by Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham recognized Kuckuck for “superior leadership” and for “vision, dedication and commitment to excellence . . . that have directly resulted in the advancement of initiatives that are strengthening the nuclear security of the United States of America.”

Kuckuck is married to the former Marilyn Kiger, and they have three adult daughters.