Bruce Tarter - LLNL's Technology, the Development of Nuclear Weapons, and the Era of Stockpile Stewardship

NucleCast

Bruce Tarter is Director Emeritus of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and was the eighth director to lead the Laboratory since it was founded in 1952. This episode covers the history and influence of the lab's technology on policy and strategy, the development of nuclear weapons, and the era of stockpile stewardship. It also delves into the challenges and wishes for the future of nuclear arms control.

A theoretical physicist by training and experience, Bruce began his career at the Laboratory in 1967. As Director from 1994 to 2002 he led the Laboratory in its mission to ensure national security and apply science and technology to the important problems of our time. In particular he oversaw the development of stockpile stewardship during his tenure. Tarter received a SB from MIT and a PhD from Cornell. He is a Fellow of the American Physical Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and received the National Nuclear Security Administration’s Gold Medal and the Secretary of Energy’s Gold Award. He recently published “The American Lab” (Johns Hopkins University Press 2018) , a history of his Laboratory.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Lawrence Livermore National Lab and Bruce Tarter

02:00 Influence of Technology on Policy and Strategy

05:09 Development and Impact of Nuclear Weapons Technology

16:18 The Era of Stockpile Stewardship

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