The Sandia Lab News has been a mirror to our Labs and co-workers since its inception as the Sandia Bulletin in 1948. It has allowed us to see parts of our Labs that we have not actually experienced.
Visually recording history is as old as the ancient petroglyphs and cave drawings. It started as someone’s desire to show others the life of their people. Since I began at Sandia on Jan. 13, 1986, I have been privileged to photograph half of the Labs’ life, using a camera to tell your story rather than scratching images into rock. The images, I believe, may be nearly as indelible, not because of me but because of the story they tell — your story. Your work impressed me as quite remarkable when I arrived, and I soon began calling it our work.
Much like the military, Sandia does not leave anyone behind, even photographers. The new generation’s work is still quite remarkable, and as testament to the Labs, there is often a proud parent or relative working across the tech area from a younger Sandian. I am one of those proud parents — my daughter Laura began her Sandia career a few years ago.
We are always eager and proud to talk about the work we do at Sandia, and I have appreciated the simple explanations you have crafted for me. I met the soon-to-be victors of the Cold War when I arrived, many who were already war veterans themselves. Now we have a new generation of veterans at the Labs continuing that legacy.
Looking back at this tiny photo sample of some my fortunate experiences at our Labs, I hope you realize that you are on a national stage when you come to work each day. Your work at Sandia has been and will continue to be part of American history.