FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, May 1, 2002
University of California Office of the President

STATEMENT ON THE
LAWRENCE LIVERMORE NATIONAL LABORATORY
DIRECTOR SELECTION PROCESS

By Richard C. Atkinson
President, University of California

Ray Juzaitis yesterday informed me of his decision to withdraw his name from consideration as a candidate for director of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Dr. Juzaitis indicated that his effectiveness as Livermore director would have been undermined by the controversy raised last week and its aftermath.

Dr. Juzaitis is a brilliant scientist who has led nuclear weapons research through the challenging transition from actual weapons testing to science-based stockpile stewardship. He is highly respected in Washington for his contributions to national security and defense.

Recent press reports about the University's selection process raised questions regarding Dr. Juzaitis' directing the division within which Dr. Wen Ho Lee worked. A 20-year veteran of Los Alamos National Laboratory, and currently associate director there, Dr. Juzaitis was director of the Applied Theoretical and Computational Physics Division (the so-called X Division) at Los Alamos for a six-year period during which Dr. Lee also served in the division.

The University had reviewed documents relevant to the Lee matter. The documents reveal nothing that would change our evaluation of Dr. Juzaitis as an excellent candidate for director of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Although neither the University, the Department of Energy, nor the National Nuclear Security Administration had called on Dr. Juzaitis to withdraw his candidacy, we respect his decision to do so.

The national search for a new director will continue, advised by a distinguished committee of Regents, scientists and research administrators from both within and outside the UC system. And I will continue to consult with the Department of Energy, the National Nuclear Security Administration, and other appropriate parties. My priority remains to find an outstanding person to lead Lawrence Livermore into its second half-century.

Attachment: letter from Ray Juzaitis