March 5, 1999

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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."

Seaborg the teacher and crusader for educational reform

Seaborg's sporting life as a hiker and a Cal Bear

In his own words: quotes from Seaborg

What others had to say about Seaborg

Timeline of Seaborg's life

Photographs of Seaborg

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