Legislative Finance Committee Meets In Los Alamos

Rep. Patricia Lundstrom opens the Legisaltive Finance Committee meeting Wednesday morning at UNM-LA. Photo by Maire O’Neill/ladailypost.com
Los Alamos County Council Vice Chair Christine Chandler, right, and UNM-LA CEO Cindy Rooney answer questions Wednesday following their opening remarks. Photo by Maire O’Neill/ladailypost.com
 
Staff Report

The Legislative Finance Committee spent the day Wednesday in Los Alamos at UNM-LA hearing from representatives of Los Alamos National Laboratory, UNM-LA, Los Alamos County, Los Alamos Public Schools, Public Education Department and New Mexico Consortium.

Los Alamos County Council Vice Chair Christine Chandler and UNM-LA CEO Cindy Rooney welcomed the Committee, which then heard an overview of LANL and key research initiatives from LANL Associate Director/Executive Director Carolyn Zerkle. Members also heard from Chanette Armstrong, director of the Department of Energy’s Office of Technology, LANL Chief Technology Officer Duncan McBranch and New Mexico Consortium CEO Steven Buelow.

During a working lunch, PED Secretary-Designate Christopher Ruszkowski gave a presentation called “New Mexico Rising” that outlined the New Mexico Student Achievement Results for the 2017-2018 academic year.

In the afternoon there was an extensive program on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education with speakers from the PED, LAPS and LANL followed by a presentation on the Manhattan Project National Historical Park and tour of local historic sites and Los Alamos History Museum.

The Committee was slated to reconvene in Santa Fe today for a joint workshop with the Legislative Education Study Committee sponsored by the National Conference of State Legislatures and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation on strengthening New Mexico’s early childhood education and care system.

Scene from Wednesday’s Legislative Finance Committee meeting in Los Alamos. Photo by Maire O’Neill/ladailypost.com

From left, LANL Government Relations representative David F. Trujillo, LANL Associate Director/Executive Director Carolyn Zerkle and Community Partnerships Office Director Kathy Keith at the Legislative Finance Committee meeting Wednesday at UNM-LA. Photo by Maire O’Neill/ladailypost.com

Sen. Carlos Cisneros and other Legislative Finance Committee members during lunch. Photo by Maire O’Neill/ladailypost.com

DOE Technology Transitions Office Director Chanette Armstrong, LANL Chief Technology Officer Duncan McBranch, center, and New Mexico Consortium CEO Steven Buelow speak to the Legislative Finance Committee during Wednesday’s meeting at UNM-LA. Photo by Maire O’Neill/ladailypost.com

Legislative Finance Committee Director David Abbey, right, chats with former Los Alamos County Councilor Robert Gibson. Photo by Maire O’Neill/ladailypost.com

LAPS science teachers, from left, Katy Steinberg, Elizabeth Bowden, Eva Abeyta and Stephanie Mitchell prepare for their presentation. Photo by Maire O’Neill/ladailypost.com

Dist. 41 Rep.-elect for Susan Herrera chats with Dist. 40 Rep.-elect Joseph Sanchez during lunch. Photo by Maire O’Neill/ladailypost.com

PED Secretary-Designate Christopher Ruszkowski, Deputy Secretary Debbie Rael, center, and Math and Science Bureau Director Yanira Vazquez meet Wednesday afternoon with Legislative Finance Committee members. Photo by Maire O’Neill/ladailypost.com

Search
LOS ALAMOS

ladailypost.com website support locally by OviNuppi Systems