If you’re looking to learn more about Dr. J Robert Oppenheimer’s legacy, the Manhattan Project, and how both laid the foundation for the modern-day Department of Energy, have we got the blog for you.
July 24, 2023
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It’s not very often the internet is abuzz about a theoretical physicist or government-funded research — but right now, it is! If you’re looking to learn more about Dr. J Robert Oppenheimer’s legacy, the Manhattan Project, and how both laid the foundation for the modern-day Department of Energy, have we got the blog for you:
1. Correcting the Historical Record
In December of 2022, Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm signed an order vacating a 1954 decision by the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) to revoke J. Robert Oppenheimer’s security clearance. “As a successor agency to the Atomic Energy Commission, the Department of Energy has been entrusted with the responsibility to correct the historical record and honor Dr. Oppenheimer’s profound contributions to our national defense and the scientific enterprise at large.”
Learn more about Secretary Granholm’s decision to right this wrong >>
Want to visit sites historically signicant to the Manhattan Project? Thanks to the National Park Service, you can. The Manhattan Project National Historical Park has visitor centers in Hanford, Washington; Los Alamos, New Mexico; and Oak Ridge, Tennessee — allowing visitors to explore the communities where the atomic age first began.
3. Oppenheimer’s Legacy
Dive into the life and legacy of J. Robert Oppenheimer through resources curated by the Los Alamos National Laboratory, where Oppenheimer himself served as director. Here you can learn about his time and impact at Los Alamos – and how you can join the effort to do groundbreaking scientific work.
4. Oppenheimer in the DOE Archive
Explore a wide range of print, digital, and experiential resources on the Manhattan Project as developed and made available by the Department of Energy. These include histories, websites, document collections, and exhibits.
5. The Manhattan Project via Our Direct Current Podcast
Dig into the Direct Current archives for the in-depth story about the beginnings of the atomic age, the creation of the DOE, and how the development of nuclear weapons touched lives across America.