await: new chemical compounds, drones and non-state actors, etc. As we mark the 100 year anniversary we want to recognise the people that have safeguarded the nation during unprecedented challenges and we celebrate that with our new statue. We will make the technology smaller, better, lighter and cheaper.” Dr Ronald Haan, director of the
Chemical and Biological Technologies Department at the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, was equally effusive and reminisced about his first experience of the centre as a young soldier, but also returned to future plans and threats. “Things don't stop in the past. You hear about synthetic biology as a potential threat, but here we have a lab that will put that technology to use for us, the applications are enormous. ECBC has been instrumental in my life. You are a national treasure, you have been there when we needed you and you are preparing us for tomorrow.”
In terms of national treasure it is
hard not to award that status to Dr Harry Salem, chief scientist of ECBC’s life sciences division (see CBRNe World October 2013), at 82 the oldest member of staff and still a vital one. The cake cutting ceremony was done by Dr Moore, Dr Salem and the youngest member of staff, nearly 60 years his junior! In addition to cake and pontificating
the other order of the day was dedicating a time capsule. Personally, I always find the idea of burying capsules far more interesting than recovering them. Very rarely did previous generations choose to include a series of Star Wars figures in their original boxes, instead it was the equivalent of shares in Betamax or Pan Am. Our descendants in 50 years time have a ripe haul to look forward to, with the post-zombie apocalypse mob keen to get their hands on (amongst other things) the ECBC 100th anniversary video [I am hoping that it is actually a VHS videotape Ed.], the ECBC strategic plan and an inert smoke grenade.
The afternoon saw a series of
ECBC research vignettes, with physical demonstrations of well known projects like the field deployable hydrolysis system and the layered sensing initiative. There were briefings on items like one handed sampling [not the early years parenting task you might think. Ed.], the chemical fingerprint imaging system and mass spectrometry proteomics method. A crowd of approximately 400
braved the withering heat to enjoy the ceremony. It was disappointing not to see the much vaunted statue, but that said, the event was a great chance to meet the great and the good, to discuss research projects of yore and what the future might hold. Presumably the event was also a great opportunity to remind the beltway family of the capability that lies between the Gunpowder and Bush rivers, especially when the defence budget promises such devastating R&D cuts.
CBRNeWORLD
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