A prominent former official in U.S. nuclear weapons research, Charles McMillan, has passed away at the age of 69 due to injuries sustained in a car accident in New Mexico. McMillan, an experimental physicist, had an extensive career spanning nearly 23 years at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California and about 18 years at Los Alamos National Laboratory, where he served as director for six years before retiring in 2017.
The fatal accident occurred on a roadway known as Main Hill, close to Los Alamos National Laboratory, with McMillan succumbing to his injuries at a nearby hospital. Tributes poured in from colleagues and peers, with lab Director Thom Mason extending condolences to the McMillan family and acknowledging his contributions to the field of science and national security.
McMillan’s leadership and accomplishments were widely recognized, with Michael Drake, president of the University of California system, lauding him as an outstanding figure who made significant advancements in science and technology. Throughout his tenure, McMillan oversaw notable incidents and initiatives, including a radiation leak in 2014 and efforts in vaccine development and climate change modeling.
In addition to his scientific endeavors, McMillan was also praised for his work on supercomputing and artificial intelligence by Democratic U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico. The tragic accident involved multiple injuries, with McMillan and a young woman being hospitalized while authorities investigate the cause of the crash.
