Managing for High-Quality Science and Engineering at the NNSA National
Security Laboratories

Committee to Review the Quality of the Management and of the Science and Engineering Research at the Department of Energy’s National Security Laboratories—Phase I

Laboratory Assessments Board

Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences

NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES

THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS

Washington, D.C.

THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS500 Fifth Street, NWWashington, DC 20001

NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the authoring board responsible for the report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for appropriate balance.

This study was supported by Contract No. DE-DT0001744, TO#7 between the National Academy of Sciences and the U.S. Department of Energy. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the agency that provided support for the project.

International Standard Book Number 13: 978-0-309-25437-3
International Standard Book Number 10: 0-309-25437-X

Copies of this report are available from

Laboratory Assessments Board
Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences
National Research Council
500 Fifth Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20001

THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES

Advisers to the Nation on Science, Engineering, and Medicine

The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit, self-perpetuating society of distinguished scholars engaged in scientific and engineering research, dedicated to the furtherance of science and technology and to their use for the general welfare. Upon the authority of the charter granted to it by the Congress in 1863, the Academy has a mandate that requires it to advise the federal government on scientific and technical matters. Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone is president of the National Academy of Sciences.

The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964, under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences, as a parallel organization of outstanding engineers. It is autonomous in its administration and in the selection of its members, sharing with the National Academy of Sciences the responsibility for advising the federal government. The National Academy of Engineering also sponsors engineering programs aimed at meeting national needs, encourages education and research, and recognizes the superior achievements of engineers. Dr. C. D. Mote, Jr., is president of the National Academy of Engineering.

The Institute of Medicine was established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences to secure the services of eminent members of appropriate professions in the examination of policy matters pertaining to the health of the public. The Institute acts under the responsibility given to the National Academy of Sciences by its congressional charter to be an adviser to the federal government and, upon its own initiative, to identify issues of medical care, research, and education. Dr. Harvey V. Fineberg is president of the Institute of Medicine.

The National Research Council was organized by the National Academy of Sciences in 1916 to associate the broad community of science and technology with the Academy’s purposes of furthering knowledge and advising the federal government. Functioning in accordance with general policies determined by the Academy, the Council has become the principal operating agency of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering in providing services to the government, the public, and the scientific and engineering communities. The Council is administered jointly by both Academies and the Institute of Medicine. Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone and Dr. C. D. Mote, Jr., are chair and vice chair, respectively, of the National Research Council.

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COMMITTEE TO REVIEW THE QUALITY OF THE MANAGEMENT AND OF THE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING RESEARCH AT THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY’S NATIONAL SECURITY LABORATORIES—PHASE 1

CHARLES SHANK, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Co-Chair

C. KUMAR N. PATEL, Pranalytica, Inc., Co-Chair

JOHN F. AHEARNE, Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society

W. WARNER BURKE, Teachers College, Columbia University

CHARLES CURTIS, Center for Strategic and International Studies

JILL DAHLBURG, Naval Research Laboratory

RAYMOND JEANLOZ, University of California, Berkeley

SALLIE KELLER, University of Waterloo

LABORATORY ASSESSMENT BOARD

JOHN W. LYONS, U.S. Army Research Laboratory (Retired), Chair

CLAUDE R. CANIZARES, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

ROSS B. COROTIS, University of Colorado, Boulder

JOSEPH S. FRANCISCO, Purdue University

C. WILLIAM GEAR, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

LIEUTENANT GENERAL HENRY J. HATCH, U.S. Army (Retired)

LOUIS J. LANZEROTTI, New Jersey Institute of Technology

ELSA REICHMANIS, Georgia Institute of Technology

LYLE H. SCHWARTZ, Air Force Office of Scientific Research (Retired)

CHARLES V. SHANK, Howard Hughes Medical Institute

DWIGHT C. STREIT, University of California, Los Angeles

Senior Staff

JAMES McGEE, Director

ARUL MOZHI, Senior Program Officer

CY BUTNER, Senior Program Officer

Acknowledgment of Reviewers

This report has been reviewed in draft form by individuals chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise, in accordance with procedures approved by the National Research Council’s Report Review Committee. The purpose of this independent review is to provide candid and critical comments that will assist the institution in making its published report as sound as possible and to ensure that the report meets institutional standards for objectivity, evidence, and responsiveness to the study charge. The review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the deliberative process. We wish to thank the following individuals for their review of this report:

Arden Bement (NAE), Purdue University,

Patricia Culligan, Columbia University,

Will Happer (NAS), Princeton University,

Siegfried Hecker (NAE), Stanford University,

Thomas Kuech (NAE), University of Wisconsin,

Cherry Murray (NAS/NAE), Harvard University,

William Nellis, Harvard University,

William C. Ostendorff, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission,

Michael Telson, General Atomics, and

James Trainham (NAE), RTI International.

Although the reviewers listed above have provided many constructive comments and suggestions, they were not asked to endorse the conclusions or recommendations, nor did they see the final draft of the report before its release. The review of this report was overseen by Stephen Robinson (NAE), University of Wisconsin. Appointed by the National Research Council, he was responsible for making certain that an independent examination of this report was carried out in accordance with institutional procedures and that all review comments were carefully considered. Responsibility for the final content of this report rests entirely with the authoring board and the institution.

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Contents

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