The Harold Brown view: LLNL then and now
- Center for Strategic and International Studies, Washington, DC (United States)
Harold Brown was the Laboratory's third Director, serving from 1960 to 1961. He joined the Livermore laboratory in 1952. At Livermore, Brown worked on the Polaris warhead and on Project Plowshare, program designed to apply nuclear explosives to peaceful uses (such as excavating harbors). Brown succeeded Edward Teller as Director of the Livermore Laboratory in July 1960. His tenure as Director was particularly challenging as these were the years of the moratorium on nuclear testing. He was the driving force in expanding the Laboratory's capabilities for simulating nuclear explosions with computers. As part of LLNL's 40th anniversary observances, Brown was invited to lecture on his views of the changing world and the role of the Laboratory. He reminisced about events that occurred in the Laboratory's early years, with an eye to finding lessons for the future. In particular, he cited Project Plowshare and the MX ICBM as examples of projects that were technologically and economically feasible but unacceptable in terms of public perception. Brown also discussed the international security environment and the Laboratory's role in support of the national security goals of the United States. He defined U.S. security as protecting America against external threats to its physical survival, to its democratic form of government, or to the well-being of the people of the United States. By this definition, issues of international trade and market access have a strong bearing on national security. Thus the Laboratory can find much important and interesting work to do under the heading of national security and economic competitiveness. Brown also pointed out, however, that working effectively with the private sector will take a change in culture since the private-sector market is very different from and more competitive than the nuclear weapons world or the government's nondefense market.
- OSTI ID:
- 7306881
- Journal Information:
- Energy and Technology Review (Livermore, California); (United States), Journal Name: Energy and Technology Review (Livermore, California); (United States); ISSN 0884-5050
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
LAWRENCE LIVERMORE LABORATORY
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
NATIONAL SECURITY
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS
PLOWSHARE PROJECT
REVIEWS
DOCUMENT TYPES
EXPLOSIONS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
SECURITY
SIMULATION
US AEC
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
990000* - General & Miscellaneous