Sunday, June 17, 2012
Koonin to join LLNS Board
Anonymously contributed:
Koonin to join LLNS Board
The Los Alamos Monitor had a story that Koonin is joining the Laboratory Governing Board for both LLNS and LANS. Wonder if that IDA study he was leading a few months ago on 'laboratory governance' had anything to do with this? Nah, not likely.
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15 comments:
I tend to think that a few of the posters on this blog make over the top claims about how evil and corrupt LLNS and LANS is however I found a post back from April that maybe they just might have a point after looking at the comments.
The Post
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
White House Requests Study of National Lab Governance
http://llnlthetruestory.blogspot.com/2012/04/white-house-requests-study-of-national.html
"
In a recent study of the NNSA’s nuclear weapons laboratories, the National Academy of Sciences called the agency’s relationship with its labs “dysfunctional” and “broken.” Koonin was notably outspoken about the state of the science at the NNSA’s weapons laboratories during the NAS study, suggesting that the switch to private management of the labs had taken its toll on science. “It’s been a challenge to maintain a vibrant scientific enterprise,” Koonin said at the time. “That’s not to say there isn’t some great stuff going on, but if you look at the totality of the effort, I don’t think it matches what we had decades ago in the basic research area.” Koonin left the Department in the fall for a post at IDA. "
21 comments:
Anonymous said...
LLNS/LANS is going to put and END to this study by offering Koonin a lucrative Management position. Mark my words. Betchel can buy anything or anyone they want. NNSA created this "monster" and THEY can't even stop it.
April 4, 2012 5:47 PM
Ok that is kind of creepy.
Here's an outrageous concept: how about we let Koonin join the board and see how things go for a year?
And could it have possibly been UC's idea to name a scientist to the board?
No one cares. Nothing will change.
Is that still too hard to accept given the massive amount of evidence over the last few years at the NNSA weapon labs?
Bechtel has the political power and the cash to arrange the table just like they like it.
Please, Dr. Koonin, take a close look at what's happening out at Los Alamos.
It's great that LLNL is keeping their workforce but the science situation at LANL is becoming dire:
* IBM supercomputer overtakes Fujitsu as world's fastest *
BBC News, Jun 18
IBM's Sequoia has taken the top spot on the list of the world's fastest supercomputers for the US.
...Sequoia will be used to carry out simulations to help extend the life of aging nuclear weapons, avoiding the need for real-world underground tests.
It is installed at the US Department of Energy's Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California.
------
Meanwhile, back at Livermore's sister lab, LANL (aka "Rocky Flats II"), the supercomputer capability has been rapidly deteriorating. LANL is losing much of it's former prestige in this area.
Heck, LANL doesn't even have enough money these days to replace aging desktop PC, much less big computers!
Wonder how IDA will explain this one? POGO was all over them a few years ago for conflict of interest, even led to the resignation of their president Admiral Blair. How can you lead an objective study of an organization while you sit on their Board?
Parny used to work for IDA, wonder if he can help explain?
And could it have possibly been UC's idea to name a scientist to the board?
June 17, 2012 7:10 PM
riggggght. Just like it was UC's idea to name a Lab Director that "had the right sets of relationships".
How's that working out for you, LANL?
Does anyone know how many times Koonin has applied for a Director position at one or the other labs, and been passed over?
Always a bridesmaid, but never a bride!
Another DOE crony "following the money" to LLNS/LANS. Who will be next, D'Agostino?
Someone got their nose bent on this.
Would look at the facts before dumping all over Koonin. He had a great run at caltech, was elected to NAS and was Provost. Then made a few million at BP and was a political in DC. Looks like he has had success in several different environments. Compared to someone that has spent their entire career in one narrow field, he likely would have made a superb Lab Director.
Alas, he was deemed unworthy of serious consideration since he had experience outside WP.
We're experiencing an epic failure of leadership at almost every level of American society right now. Something has gone terribly wrong with the American experiment.
People like Dr. Koonin will be of little help in reversing the trend. America needs some serious medicine across the board to save this "patient". So far, all we have been doing is medicating the "patient" with morphine for pain.
6:24 AM may be on to something here. Koonin and Albright have a lot in common from their broad backgrounds. Both were in government as well as private industry. Both were at IDA and each is a respected scientist. They should have a lot to talk about together.
Homer sleep now...
Does anyone know how many times Koonin has applied for a Director position at one or the other labs, and been passed over?
Koonin has probably been recruited to apply on multiple occasions. My understanding was he could not be considered for the recent LLNL opening because he had so recently been a DOE executive.
9:24 PM may be in a position to know who was or was not 'recruited' by UC to apply in order to later claim that consideration was given to those outside WP. Now that Parney has broken that stranglehold, such points may have become less important.
Guess that Koonin and MacMillan can talk about MIT, eh?
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