Laura R. Gilliom Named Director of LLNL's University Relations Program

Business Wire, May 10, 2001

Business Editors/Science Writers

LIVERMORE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 10, 2001

Laura R. Gilliom, an organic chemist and manager at Sandia National Laboratories, has been named director of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's University Relations Program. She is expected to begin her appointment June 11.

Gilliom is the manager of the Advanced Design and Production Technology Program at Sandia Albuquerque, a position she has held since 1997.

As URP director, Gilliom will oversee the day-to-day activities of university-Laboratory collaborative research programs and institutes and will continue the effective interactions and relationships between the University of California Office of the President, UC Davis and UC Merced administrations. She also will oversee the activities of the Science and Technology Education Program.

Gilliom said she was enticed by Livermore's relationship with the University of California system, as well as LLNL's culture of "risk-taking, innovation and creativity." "Livermore is uniquely positioned to capitalize on the best university system in the world," said Gilliom. "Pulling in ideas is going to be important to the work we need to do in support of Livermore's mission."

"In the coming years, there will be increased emphasis on recruiting and retention of the critical skills in the National Nuclear Security Administration-funded programs at the laboratories," said Deputy Director Jeff Wadsworth in announcing Gilliom's selection. "Dr. Gilliom's experience with the NNSA's missions positions her well for meeting these challenges at the laboratories."

Gilliom has been at Sandia since 1985, working in materials science. Since that time she has held increasingly challenging management positions involving leadership of exploratory research in diverse technical fields. From 1991-93 she served as technical adviser at the Department of Energy, Defense Programs.

Gilliom earned her doctorate in organic chemistry from the California Institute of Technology in 1986 and her bachelor's degree in chemistry from Princeton in 1980. Gilliom is married and has two children.

Founded in 1952, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is a national nuclear security laboratory, with a mission to ensure national security and apply science and technology to the important issues of our time. The National Nuclear Security Administration's Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is managed by the University of California.

Laboratory news releases and photos are also available electronically on the World Wide Web of the Internet at URL http://www.llnl.gov/PAO and on UC Newswire.