"Technology and the Winning of World War II: The Story of a Hero History Forgot"

(in conjunction with the Department of Chemistry)

8:00 PM Monday, November 15, 2004
University Theatre

The technological superiority of the Allies was a major factor in the winning of World War II. Ms. Conant will discuss some of the extraordinary individuals in the fields of science, industry, and politics who helped to produce the victory that defined the world in which we live.

"Intimate Histories: Reexamining the Record on Robert Oppenheimer"

3:10 PM Monday, November 15, 2004
Gallagher Business Building 122

You are cordially invited to attend a seminar with Jennet Conant. She will discuss the career of Robert Oppenheimer, the father of the atomic bomb. Both revered and reviled for his role in World War II, Oppenheimer has been the subject of sharp disagreements among historians. After all the published research about him, no two people agree about his character, contributions, and motivations. She will explore the problems and rewards of writing about one of the supremely enigmatic figures in modern American history.

Ms. Conant is especially well qualified to tell Oppenheimer's story. A highly experienced journalist, she has published articles in The New York Times, Newsweek, Vanity Fair, Esquire, and GQ.  In her best-selling book, Tuxedo Park, she discusses how the technological superiority of the Allies became a major factor in the winning of World War II. In writing this book, she gained access to previously unpublished letters and documents regarding many of the extraordinary individuals, including Oppenheimer, who had helped to produce the victory that defined the world in which we live.