Nov 15, 2008

Wallace discusses LANL's growing mission

By CAROL A. CLARK, The Los Alamos Monitor
"I believe that science at LANL is flourishing and we're in a better time now than perhaps any time in the past."

Finding solutions to the nation's energy dilemmas, including the means to store energy, is at the forefront of research underway at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL): Research critical to both the nation and the world.

The increasing role LANL scientists are playing in this field now, and will play well into the future, was a topic discussed by Terry Wallace, principal associate director for Science, Technology, & Engineering, during an interview Thursday.

"I believe that science at LANL is flourishing and we're in a better time now than perhaps any time in the past," Wallace said.

The interview on Behind the White Coat: Conversations with Los Alamos Scientists, took place in the Dynamic Stress Stimulation Laboratory (DSSL), which is one of several geophysics labs at LANL.

DSSL is a unique facility designed to study the effects of low frequency stress waves on permeability and multi-phase fluid flow in rock core samples. If this phenomenon can be understood and harnessed, Wallace said, it will lead to improved technologies for enhancing oil production and groundwater remediation.

Wallace praised LANL's geophysics scientists and suggested that everyone of them should be interviewed about the significant contributions they are making for the nation.

Wallace is responsible for all basic science programs at LANL, and for coordinating the activities of the four science and engineering directorates.

From 2005 to June 2006, he served as associate director of Strategic Research, which encompassed LANL's science program offices and the five line divisions that implemented those programs and supported LANL's nuclear weapons, threat reduction, and energy security missions.

Wallace also was responsible for the Laboratory's non-National Nuclear Security Administration Department of Energy programs, including basic science, energy technology, and environmental technology.

Prior to that position, Wallace was the division leader of the Earth and Environmental Sciences Division.

Wallace was raised in Los Alamos and graduated from Los Alamos High School in 1974. He returned home in 2003 after spending 20 years as a professor of geosciences and an associate in the applied mathematics program at the University of Arizona.

He also served as director of the Southern Arizona Seismic Observatory.

In addition to teaching, Wallace carried out research on global threat reduction, nonproliferation verification, and computational geophysics.

During his academic career, he worked with LANL on nuclear test monitoring and threat reduction and in particular on interpreting the indications of nuclear testing by a foreign government.

Wallace has an international reputation in geosciences as applied to national security issues. He holds Ph.D. and M.S. degrees in geophysics from California Institute of Technology and B.S. degrees in geophysics and mathematics from New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology.

Wallace has authored or coauthored more than 80 peer-reviewed publications on seismology and tectonics, including ground-based nuclear explosion monitoring and forensic seismology. He also wrote Modern Global Seismology, which is one of the most widely used textbooks on seismology.

Wallace's interview can be seen in its entirety on PAC 8 and UCTV later this month.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Behind the White Coat: Conversations with Los Alamos Scientists is produced and hosted by Carol A. Clark and sponsored by Los Alamos National Bank.

18 comments:

  1. Half of this article is his resume!

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  2. Yes, we all know who he is. We don't need his damned resume!

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  3. Did I mention that he is phony?

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  4. Never trust a guy who has no eyebrows...

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  5. 11/15/08 2:31 PM wrote - "Half of this article is his resume!"

    Kind of a shitty resume if you asked me. LANL is sooo lucky to have as its PADSTE a former rock museum curator. Woo, hoo!

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  6. Half of this article is his resume! (2:31 PM)

    You need to understand that it's not really a news article. It's more like a paid advertisement on behalf of Terry Wallace.

    Terry aims to become LANL Director and he'll be taking over that position within the span of less than two years. If you thought Mikey was bad, just wait until you see what's coming next.

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  7. Anonymous at 11/15/08 11:44 PM writes: "If you thought Mikey was bad, just wait until you see what's coming next."

    How unforetunately true. These days we remember Admiral Butthead fondly.

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  8. What will happen in two years?
    Why do you think this will happen, with facts?

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  9. "Why do you think this will happen.."

    LANL Directors have a recent history of serving for about 4 to 5 years before either events or job fatigue convince them to flee the position. Mike's been in the office for about two and half years. He's been extremely well compensated and can retire to a nice life that most people can only dream about.

    Give him another two years as LANL's Director and retirement will look extremely inviting to him, especially when you consider the ugly nature of the downsizing that he's likely to be forced to deal with at LANL. Soon enough, he'll be more than eager to leave this place and head back to his real home in California.

    It's clear to me that Mike likes Terry and that Terry is being "preppred" by LANS to become the next lab Director. It will be a "local boy makes good" type story once he takes over. That's how I think it's going to play out.

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  10. For half a second, I thought the photo showed Terry holding a knife to his own throat.

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  11. How dare you all pick on a Moma's boy like Terry! Let us show a little respect for the next Director of LANL. There I said it, and no matter how insane it sounds, it is going to happen. The inmates are running the asylum. Lord help us all.....

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  12. I will shoot myself if this mofo gets to be Director. He has lied to and hurt so many people's careers at LANL. Why is this considered a good thing?

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  13. I'd rather have Mallory. I know he's a Becthel chronie but at least he runs a tight ship and is a pretty good manager.

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  14. He will feel comfortable running that lab because it will be a size that he understands


    10 staff members

    30 postdocs

    10 techs

    1 admin.

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  15. How can Wallace say science is doing better than ever when (a) LANS does NOT support science and (b) there is very little funding being allocated for science at LANL.???

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  16. For Wallace to say the science is doing better at LANL is probably this biggest lie that I have ever heard.

    Either Wallace is stupid or he is dishonest. I am betting that he is both!

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  17. If Wallace claims that science is doing better than ever since he took over as the science PAD, then it must be so! Why would he ever lie about something like this? If anyone feels otherwise at LANL, then they must be badly mistaken.

    Everyone at LANL needs to drink deeply of the Wallace Koolaid and experience a much nicer alternate reality... that is, until the true reality finally wallops LANL staff right across the face in the next few years.

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