The period that witnessed the rise of the Standard Model also saw radical change in the science policy and sociology of large laboratories. In the 15-year span from 1964 to 1979 the science policy climate in Europe and the United States evolved from the post–World War II golden age of strong political support and burgeoning budgets to the current era of political vacillation and uncertain funding. As researchers investigating the fundamental nature of matter used fewer mammoth accelerators and larger, vastly more complicated detectors, requiring larger teams and more specialized workers, the social structure of large laboratories also was transformed.

To help illuminate this pivotal moment, the conference organizers convened a panel on Science Policy and the Sociology of Big Laboratories. I chaired the panel, which included two other historians specializing in big science (Robert Seidel and John Krige), philosopher of science Mark Bodnarczuk, and four physicists who helped administer laboratories during these years (William Wallenmeyer, Wolfgang Panofsky, Maurice Goldhaber, and Norman Ramsey). The panel session, which consisted of 15-minute presentations by each panel member followed by a brief discussion period, was videotaped. Panofsky and Goldhaber also gave me written remarks. At the request of the conference organizers, I reviewed the videotape and written remarks and integrated, expanded, and placed into context common themes from the panel discussion to create this chapter. Panelists are quoted from the videotape of the panel session or from their texts, as indicated.