Ng Trial Set to Start Today

Siegfried S. Hecker, a research scientist at Los Alamos National Laboratory since 1973, will become the laboratory’s new director, University of California President David P. Gardner announced. Hecker, 42, will assume responsibility in January for a laboratory with a $690-million budget in fiscal 1985 and a staff of 7,900, making it the largest employer in northern New Mexico. The laboratory does research on nuclear weapons and other military-related programs, and is involved in studies of alternative energy sources, such as geothermal, solar energy and energy from magnetic fusion.