Should Los Alamos be involved in finding solutions to global problems?

by Art Morse, The Los Alamos Center for Science & Economic Policy (LACSEP)

Over the years Los Alamos has evolved the reputation as one of the “smartest” cities in the world. We have the highest per capita income and the highest per capita savings. But what is all this talent and intellectual capital doing for humanity?

Well, LANL is doing a lot more in technology development in areas that will be of great future benefit to society than most people realize. But otherwise the community looks like a bunch of self absorbed nerds to the outside world. If we have the talent to make a difference why aren’t we trying? If we don’t have the right mix of talent why aren’t we trying to get it?

Global problems are well defined and pervasive. Witness the recent advance of the doomsday clock to 5 minutes ‘till midnight. The challenges are enumerated on our website www.lacsep.org as defined by the United Nations University. Meeting and working these challenges requires a lot more than accelerating technology. In fact many of these challenges are aggravated by rapid technology advances.

In a recent planning meeting the Los Alamos County Council agreed to take up the question of explicit county participation in solving problems of a global nature. The idea of at least giving LACDC some guidelines for what the county would consider desirable growth seemed acceptable. A committee was created to explore the possible addition of a new planning goal to the counties management action plans (MAPS). These long term guidelines are used to set goals and policy for the county and serve to enumerate the relatively lofty ideals related to improving quality of life for our citizens.

They are then fleshed out with concrete objectives and with associated agency responsibilities and fiscal impact. Twice a year the council convenes a special session to track progress in meeting these goals and consider additional directives needed to assure continuing progress.

The regular bi-weekly council meetings looks at routine progress and special problems and issues as they arise.

Problems on the scale of the possibility of the whole economic base of Los Alamos slowly drying up are thought to be regional in nature and tend to be overlooked or put off until to late. I believe, however, that this possibility should be seriously considered as we look into the various ways Los Alamos could or should change and grow.

Because we’re land locked and far from a major airport the options are somewhat limited. Clearly we need to grow in a way that makes optimal use of our present strengths and our great environment. Creating a super think tank or equivalent seems to be an obvious first step. The challenges humanity faces in the next few decades must be met or quality of life world wide will take an enormous dive.

All of the challenges are in serious need of analysis and critical thinking and yes, many other organizations are mulling over what needs to be done and, of overriding importance, how to get it done. But is the fact that the problems are extremely difficult, multi-disciplinary, mutually interdependent, and tied up in a Gordian knot adequate reason for Los Alamos to shrug them off?

On the contrary it would seem we are the ideal place to take them on. If we don’t have the necessary talent and facilities to be effective let’s get it. The future of our city as a weapons development center has recently and frequently been brought into question. It is only prudent to plan for a future where we diversify our charter in ways that maintain our intellectual reputation and enhance our altruistic reputation by making meaningful contributions to global well-being.