On Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023, SPFHS had its very own live guest speaker event with the grandson of J. Robert Oppenheimer, Charles Oppenheimer. The event was held through the school’s History Club in the building’s media center.
The event covered Oppenheimer, the film, and how it has caught public controversy, though has also promoted public imagination. While Charles Oppenheimer wasn’t involved in the making of the movie, he continues to spread his grandfather’s legacy and the significance of the film.
“I do speak to a lot of large organizations these days whenever I am asked to,” Charles Oppenheimer told The Fanscotian. “I like the fact that [SPFHS’ History Club] is a group of [interested] high school students and [have] asked me [to touch upon this subject], as I see [important] reasons to [educate] this to young [minds].”
The purpose of the guest speaker event was not only to inform others about Charles Oppenheimer’s personal viewpoints and knowledge of his grandfather’s central role in history, but also to spread awareness about the Oppenheimer Project he actively supports. The project contains the promotion of Robert Oppenheimer and the advocacy for approaches that allow for fewer usage of nuclear weapons and in turn, potentially more nuclear energy. The project runs an investment component of investing in the expansion of nuclear energy.
Charles Oppenheimer shares that Robert Oppenheimer felt that making this impact was his duty in World War Two. He felt he controlled the effects of weapons in the world and strived to stop the Nuclear Arms Race between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War.
This guest speaker event has covered the significance of Robert Oppenheimer’s wisdom available for all to listen to, as it can continue to inspire young minds. Charles Oppenheimer suggests that his grandfather’s accomplishments remain a subject that will never die.
“If you put enough attention into somebody’s life, you can [receive] a tidbit of impactful information that can remain alive [for years] itself,” Charles Oppenheimer said.
Robert Oppenheimer, a once naturally curious man, went through periods of failure to excel in leading a wartime project with bombs that determined either the death or survival of all at the time.
