Oppenheimer’s Pre-War Years at UC Berkeley
The movie “Oppenheimer” tells the story of J. Robert Oppenheimer’s leadership of the Manhattan Project and his humiliation a decade later when the Atomic Energy Commission stripped him of his security clearance because of claims that he was a Communist sympathizer and an unreliable adviser. In this panel discussion, faculty members will discuss Oppenheimer’s pre-war years at UC Berkeley, where he established one of the greatest schools of theoretical physics in the U.S., and his scientific and human legacy.
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Speakers:
Professor Carson is a specialist in the history of 20th-century physics, including its cultural, social, and political contexts. She co-edited a volume of papers about Oppenheimer, Reappraising Oppenheimer: Centennial Studies and Reflections, that was presented during a 2004 conference celebrating the 100th anniversary of his birth.
Professor Nomura works on theoretical physics, in particular theoretical particle physics, cosmology, quantum gravity, and quantum information. His current research focus includes the black hole information problem, holographic descriptions of spacetime, and multiverse cosmology.
Professor van Bibber studies basic and applied nuclear science, particle astrophysics, and accelerator science and technology. He spent 25 years conducting nuclear energy research at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.