Siegfried S. Hecker
Encyclopedia
Dr.
Siegfried S. Hecker, PhD
, is an Austria
n-Polish
-American
nuclear scientist and metallurgist who served as the Emeritus Director of the Los Alamos National Laboratory
from 1986 till 1997. A nuclear weapons specialist, Dr. Hecker was the Professor in Research in the Department of Management Science and Engineering of the School of Engineering, Co-Director of the Center for International Security and Cooperation and a Senior Fellow of the at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies of Stanford University
.
, Bosnia and were moved during World War II to Tomaszew, where Hecker was born. When his father had not returned from the war at the Eastern Front
, his mother remarried and settled in Rottenmann
, Austria. The family emigrated to the US in 1956. Hecker completed his Bachelor of Science
in Metallurgy
in 1965, his Master of Science
in Metallurgy in 1967, and his Doctor of Philosophy
in Metallurgical Engineering in 1968, all from Case Western Reserve University
. Hecker began his professional career as a senior research metallurgist with the General Motors Research Laboratories
in 1970 after two years as a postdoctoral appointee at the Los Alamos National Laboratory
.
Since 1988 Hecker has been a visiting Professor in Materials Engineering at Stanford University
. In 2007 he became co-director of the Stanford University Center for International Security and Cooperation
(CISAC) in the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies. He also acts as advisor to the Nuclear Threat Initiative board of directors and belongs to the advisory council of CRDF Global, an independent nonprofit organization that promotes international scientific and technical collaboration.
frequently in an unofficial capacity to assess the plutonium program at the Yongbyon Nuclear Scientific Research Center
(once every year since 2004). In November 2010 Hecker visited the Yongbyon nuclear facility and reported on its advanced state.
's Seaborg Medal and many other awards including the Navy League of the U.S.'s TR & FD Roosevelt Gold Medal for Science Award in 1996. The Secretary of Energy named Dr. Siegfried S. Hecker, Lab director from 1986–1997 and a Los Alamos senior fellow until 2000, co-recipient of the 2009 Enrico Fermi Award
.
This Presidential Award is one of the oldest and most prestigious given by the U.S. Government and carries an honorarium of $375,000. He shares the honor with John Bannister Goodenough, a professor at the University of Texas at Austin.
Doctor (title)
Doctor, as a title, originates from the Latin word of the same spelling and meaning. The word is originally an agentive noun of the Latin verb docēre . It has been used as an honored academic title for over a millennium in Europe, where it dates back to the rise of the university. This use spread...
Siegfried S. Hecker, PhD
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
, is an Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n-Polish
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
-American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
nuclear scientist and metallurgist who served as the Emeritus Director of the Los Alamos National Laboratory
Los Alamos National Laboratory
Los Alamos National Laboratory is a United States Department of Energy national laboratory, managed and operated by Los Alamos National Security , located in Los Alamos, New Mexico...
from 1986 till 1997. A nuclear weapons specialist, Dr. Hecker was the Professor in Research in the Department of Management Science and Engineering of the School of Engineering, Co-Director of the Center for International Security and Cooperation and a Senior Fellow of the at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies of Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
.
Biography
Hecker's parents came from SarajevoSarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
, Bosnia and were moved during World War II to Tomaszew, where Hecker was born. When his father had not returned from the war at the Eastern Front
Eastern Front (World War II)
The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...
, his mother remarried and settled in Rottenmann
Rottenmann
Rottenmann is a town in Styria in Austria, near the Rottenmanner Tauern. As of 2008, it has a population of 5.341....
, Austria. The family emigrated to the US in 1956. Hecker completed his Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in Metallurgy
Metallurgy
Metallurgy is a domain of materials science that studies the physical and chemical behavior of metallic elements, their intermetallic compounds, and their mixtures, which are called alloys. It is also the technology of metals: the way in which science is applied to their practical use...
in 1965, his Master of Science
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
in Metallurgy in 1967, and his Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in Metallurgical Engineering in 1968, all from Case Western Reserve University
Case Western Reserve University
Case Western Reserve University is a private research university located in Cleveland, Ohio, USA...
. Hecker began his professional career as a senior research metallurgist with the General Motors Research Laboratories
General Motors Research Laboratories
General Motors Research Laboratories are the part of General Motors responsible for creation of the first known operating system in 1955 and contributed to the first mechanical heart, the Dodrill-GMR, successfully used while performing open heart surgery.-External links:* site. Domain is one of...
in 1970 after two years as a postdoctoral appointee at the Los Alamos National Laboratory
Los Alamos National Laboratory
Los Alamos National Laboratory is a United States Department of Energy national laboratory, managed and operated by Los Alamos National Security , located in Los Alamos, New Mexico...
.
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
. In 2007 he became co-director of the Stanford University Center for International Security and Cooperation
Stanford University Center for International Security and Cooperation
Formerly the Center for International Security and Arms Control, co-founded by physicist Sidney Drell and political scientist John Lewis, CISAC now stands for the Center for International Security and Cooperation...
(CISAC) in the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies. He also acts as advisor to the Nuclear Threat Initiative board of directors and belongs to the advisory council of CRDF Global, an independent nonprofit organization that promotes international scientific and technical collaboration.
Visits to North Korea
He has visited North KoreaNorth Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
frequently in an unofficial capacity to assess the plutonium program at the Yongbyon Nuclear Scientific Research Center
Yongbyon Nuclear Scientific Research Center
The Yongbyon Nuclear Scientific Research Center is North Korea's major nuclear facility, operating its first nuclear reactors. It is located in the county of Nyŏngbyŏn in North Pyongan province, about 90 km north of Pyongyang...
(once every year since 2004). In November 2010 Hecker visited the Yongbyon nuclear facility and reported on its advanced state.
Awards
His achievements have been recognized with the American Nuclear SocietyAmerican Nuclear Society
The American Nuclear Society is an international, not-for-profit 501 scientific and educational organization with a membership of approximately 11,000 scientists, engineers, educators, students, and other associate members. Approximately 900 members live outside the United States in 40 countries....
's Seaborg Medal and many other awards including the Navy League of the U.S.'s TR & FD Roosevelt Gold Medal for Science Award in 1996. The Secretary of Energy named Dr. Siegfried S. Hecker, Lab director from 1986–1997 and a Los Alamos senior fellow until 2000, co-recipient of the 2009 Enrico Fermi Award
Enrico Fermi Award
The Enrico Fermi Award is an award honoring scientists of international stature for their lifetime achievement in the development, use, or production of energy. It is administered by the U.S. government's Department of Energy...
.
This Presidential Award is one of the oldest and most prestigious given by the U.S. Government and carries an honorarium of $375,000. He shares the honor with John Bannister Goodenough, a professor at the University of Texas at Austin.
Publications
- Hecker, S. S. "The Role of the DOE Weapons Laboratories in a Changing National Security Environment: CNSS Papers No. 8, April 1988", Los Alamos National LaboratoryLos Alamos National LaboratoryLos Alamos National Laboratory is a United States Department of Energy national laboratory, managed and operated by Los Alamos National Security , located in Los Alamos, New Mexico...
, Center for National Security Studies United States Department of EnergyUnited States Department of EnergyThe United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...
, (April 1988). - Hecker, S. S. "The Cold War is Over. What Now?", Los Alamos National LaboratoryLos Alamos National LaboratoryLos Alamos National Laboratory is a United States Department of Energy national laboratory, managed and operated by Los Alamos National Security , located in Los Alamos, New Mexico...
, United States Department of EnergyUnited States Department of EnergyThe United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...
, (April 1995). - Fluss, M.; Tobin, J.; Schwartz, A.; Petrovtsev, A. V.; Nadykto, B. A.; Timofeeva, L. F. Hecker, S. S. & V. E. Arkhipov. "6th US-Russian Pu Science Workshop Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory University of California, Livermore, California, July 14 and 15, 2006", Lawrence Livermore National LaboratoryLawrence Livermore National LaboratoryThe Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory , just outside Livermore, California, is a Federally Funded Research and Development Center founded by the University of California in 1952...
, United States Department of EnergyUnited States Department of EnergyThe United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...
, (June 20, 2006). - Hecker, Siegfried; Lee, Sean; Braun, Chaim. "North Korea's Choice: Bombs Over Electricity", National Academy of EngineeringNational Academy of EngineeringThe National Academy of Engineering is a government-created non-profit institution in the United States, that was founded in 1964 under the same congressional act that led to the founding of the National Academy of Sciences...
, (Summer 2010).
External links
- Siegfried S. Hecker, Plutonium and Nuclear Nonproliferation , from the Office of Scientific and Technical InformationOffice of Scientific and Technical InformationThe Office of Scientific and Technical Information is a component of the Office of Science within the U.S. Department of Energy...
, United States Department of EnergyUnited States Department of EnergyThe United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material... - Siegfried S. Hecker, Management Science and Engineering Department, Stanford University
- The Hecker Years 1985-1997, Los Alamos National Laboratory
- Siegfried S. Hecker, U.S. Civilian Research & Development FoundationU.S. Civilian Research & Development FoundationCRDF Global is an "... independent nonprofit organization that promotes international scientific and technical collaboration ..." CRDF Global was authorized by the U.S. Congress in 1992 under the Freedom Support Act and established in 1995 by the National Science Foundation...
- Siegfried Hecker at WN
- Siegfried S. Hecker, Center for International Security and Cooperation, Stanford University
- Siegfried S. Hecker, Enrico Fermi Award citation and biography