National laboratories, universities and the AEC

THE NEED FOR A CLOSER RELATIONSHIP between universities and national laboratories was very well expressed by AEC Chairman Glenn Seaborg in a speech in June 1963 at the University of Colorado:

In the competition that exists today for top quality manpower, that laboratory or institution which falters or lags behind in its struggle for excellence or preeminence rapidly falls farther behind due to the “snowball effect.” Just as success breeds success, so does failure beget failure. In a period such as this, when we are faced with serious shortages of engineers, mathematicians and physical and biological scientists, as well as with rapidly increasing research costs, it is particularly important that serious thought be given to maintaining our pace of advancement by strengthening our existing centers of excellence and increasing the level and quality of coöperation between the universities and the national laboratories. In this way I believe the AEC, in concert with the universities and national laboratories, can contribute both directly and indirectly toward meeting the goal of an accelerated rate of training of engineers, mathematicians and physical and biological scientists.