National Ignition Facility Scientist Resigns; Laser Program Faces Delays

E. Michael Campbell III, the head of the $1.2 billion National Ignition Facility project at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore, Calif., resigned from his post when it was revealed that he did not complete his doctorate at Princeton University. Campbell, who has received numerous awards since he joined the lab in 1977, requested a voluntary leave of absence after the lab received anonymous reports that the director had never written a dissertation.

The laser program is facing budget and schedule problems. Concerns regarding the construction and assembly of the 192-beam laser that will be used in fusion research and nuclear weapons testing prompted a team from the US Department of Energy to meet with facility officials. Campbell's replacement as head of the project, George Miller, said difficulties are to be expected in technical endeavors.