Early days in the Met Lab

This paper reports that chemistry Section C-1 of the wartime Metallurgical Laboratory at the University of Chicago was charged with developing methods for the production of plutonium on the large industrial scale. Management techniques of Section C-1 and those of the Lawrence Radiation Laboratory, usually taken as an early example of Big Science, are contrasted. The staffing, organization, and planning of the scientific program of Section C-1 is described. Section C-1 serves as a model for the solution of large, complex scientific problems