Visionary LLNL director and national security pioneer Johnny Foster dies at 102

Foster played a key role in guiding the U.S. fusion program during the early 1970s when he was director of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and again in the late 1970s when he was a vice president at TRW and chaired an important 1978 fusion program review at the newly formed U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). One of the recommendations of that panel was that the goal of the U.S. fusion program should aim achieve a demonstration fusion power plant by 2015 and "full commercialization" by 2050.

Foster also participated on a 1980 DOE fusion review panel after Congress passed the Magnetic Fusion Energy Engineering Act of 1980. In 1983, he again was called to serve on a fusion review panel conducted by DOE's Energy Research Advisory Board (ERAB). In 1990, he would again be called upon to serve, this time to assist in a "comprehensive fusion policy review" set up by then Secretary of Energy James Watkins.

The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has maintained an awards program called the John S. Foster, Jr. Medal "to commemorate the exceptional and inspirational career" of Dr. Foster.