Harold Agew and the Bradbury Science Museum, Los Alamos, NM

 Ask any pedestrian on almost any paved street in the civilized world what induced the Japanese to surrender, marking the end of WWII in the Pacific Theater, and the response would be (in some round about way or another) the dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

The bombs were part of the Manhattan Project, code 'Project Y,' developed on the sunny Pajarito Plateau of Los Alamos.  Los Alamos is now a National Laboratory, and their Nuclear Safety Division hosted the conference I attended this week (I'm a Nuclear Safety Engineer).  Part of the conference was a tour to the Lab, and the Bradbury Science Museum.  The Bradbury Science Museum showcases the history and research conducted by the Lab during the era leading up to and during WWII.  Additionally, they showcase some of the defense research developed to help the nation respond effectively to significant threats of broad scope, and help make this world a better place.

My visit to the museum was a monumentally exceptional experience because I met a visiting Harold Agnew.  I stand in complete awe of this man, and his scientific greatness and contributions rank him as one of my top heros.  Meeting him, by happenstance, in person, I cried.

Agnew worked with Fermi on Chicago Pile-1 (the first sustain nuclear chain reaction), worked at Los Alamos, aided in the development of plutonium metallurgery, flew in the Great Artiste over the Hiroshima bombing (taking measurements and the only recorded video), was the Los Alamos laboratory director, and held or contributed to a million (literally) other positions or products.

He is 91 years old, and completely self-reliant, mobile, and I dare say, sharper than me!  The Museum was hosting him to see their new exhibit-- and he was giving his feedback.  I first walked up to him as he said, "You've mislabeled that picture. That was definitely not xxx.  I remember him, and that's not what he looked like.  You'd better try again."  Later, I heard him say, "That must be a replica of the canister, because it doesn't look quite like I remember.  The band was about twelve inches down, and in your artifact, it appears about 18 inches.  You may want to look into that."

Upon introduction he commented on my last name (any science majors out there will know why), and told me about the man who ran their generators.  He then suggested I meet up with another scientific great, with whom he worked at the Lab.  What an outstanding day.