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 Glenn Seaborg, who made this Laboratory his home,
died February 25, leaving behind a legacy of research, teaching, and
service to his country. With the discovery of plutonium, Seaborg
helped usher in the atomic age. Two decades later, he helped negotiate the
treaty which prohibited the testing of nuclear weapons in the atmosphere
and under the sea. Seaborg held the patent on two chemical elements,
restructured the periodic table, and discovered radioisotopes that
extended the life of his own mother. The scientist never forgot what he
saw to be his equal obligations as a teacher. Over the past decades,
Seaborg sounded the alarm over the rising tide of mediocrity in American
schools, leading the charge for reform. He was a revered teacher, a
beloved father and husband. Glenn Seaborg was
a man in full.
 Early on, Glenn Seaborg had an inkling that his
life would be historic. From an early age until his death, he kept a
detailed diary. Two years before he died, Seaborg created an expansive
website that would chronicle his life. "My schedule remains
frenetic, and my research still calls," he wrote, "but I've felt
a growing urge to take the time to share the lessons of my experience.
Mounting this website affords an opportunity to contribute in a new way.
As we approach the 21st century, the problems of arms control, education,
and energy loom larger than ever, but so is our tendency to sidestep them.
The insights gained from a lifetime's work with these issues could spur
discussion and the search for long-term solutions."
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