Reading Room

for immediate release, March 28, 2001

Media Advisory

Livermore Lab Scientist Quits, Calls Lab Deceptive

Leaves High-Paying Job In "Stockpile Stewardship" Program, Encourages Others To Refuse Work On Nuclear Weapons


Contact:
Marylia Kelley, Tri-Valley CAREs, (925) 443-7148

WHAT:
Press Conferences at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Visitors Center in Livermore and the World Affairs Council in San Francisco

WHEN:
Thursday, March 15 9:30 AM at the Livermore Laboratory, and NOON at the World Affairs Council (sandwiches and drinks provided)

WHERE:
The Livermore Laboratory Visitors Center is located on Greenville Road, about 2 miles south of I-580. The World Affairs Council is at 312 Sutter Street in San Francisco (also serves as the new "home" of the San Francisco Press Club)

WHO:
Issac Trotts was recruited out of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to an $85,000/year position at Livermore Laboratory in the Visual Interactive Environment for Weapons Simulation group in the Accelerated Strategic Computing Initiative (ASCI) of the Stockpile Stewardship program. After graduating from U.C. Davis in 1999, Trotts received a Masters of Science in Applied Mathematics at Brown University and worked as a Visiting Researcher at MIT before coming to Livermore in September 2000. Trotts last day at Livermore Lab was March 3, 2001.

WHY:
To expose deceptive recruiting practices at Livermore Lab, encourage other scientists to refuse to work on nuclear weapons, and outline future plans by Trotts, Tri-Valley CAREs and colleague organizations to conduct outreach to counter Livermore Lab recruitment in Universities and within scientific associations. Trotts will also release an open statement to current and prospective employees.

FORMAT:
Trotts will conduct a briefing for reporters, answer questions and release an open letter to Livermore Lab employees. Marylia Kelley, executive director of Tri-Valley CAREs, the Livermore-based Lab "watchdog" organization, will explain the group's campaign to encourage scientists and engineers to renounce work on nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction. Dr. Andreas Toupadakis, a chemist who left Livermore Lab last year to protest the construction of the National Ignition Facility and the Stockpile Stewardship program will be on hand to support Trotts. Other public interest groups will also participate.

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