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Sylvia Clinkenbeard from Illinois looks at an exhibition of photos of J. Robert Oppenheimer, Los Alamos' first director, during a visit to the Bradbury Science Museum downtown. The photo exhibit remains on display through June 27. The J. Robert Oppenheimer Memorial Committee is sponsoring the traveling photography show entitled "J. Robert Oppenheimer, 1904-1967: Photographs From His Life." Curated by members of the Oppenheimer Committee, the display includes more than 50 photos gathered from the collections of the Robert and Frank Oppenheimer families, the archives of Berkeley's Bancroft library, Harvard, Princeton, the Institute for Advanced Study and the Laboratory. Photos by LeRoy N. Sanchez, Public Affairs

Lab's first director focus of symposium this month

Photo exhibit at Bradbury Science Museum

April 22 was the 100th birthday of Los Alamos' first director, J. Robert Oppenheimer. To mark this anniversary and celebrate the work of Oppenheimer and his Manhattan Project colleagues, a symposium and tours are scheduled later this month in Los Alamos.

"Oppenheimer and the Manhattan Project" on June 26 is a daylong series of talks and presentations about the man who led the nation's development of the atomic bomb working out of a secret installation on the Pajarito Plateau. Among the scheduled speakers is Richard Rhodes, who wrote "The Making of the Atomic Bomb," and "Dark Sun." Rhodes also will deliver the symposium's keynote address.

In addition to the symposium, the Laboratory's Bradbury Science Museum has on display a traveling exhibit of photographs of Oppenheimer. Entitled "J. Robert Oppenheimer, 1904-1967: Photographs From His Life," the exhibit will hang in the museum through June 27. Curated by members of the Oppenheimer Committee, the display includes more than 50 photos gathered from the collections of the Robert and Frank Oppenheimer families, the archives of Berkeley's Bancroft library, Harvard, Princeton, the Institute for Advanced Study and the Laboratory. There is no admission fee to the museum or to see the Oppenheimer exhibit.

The Los Alamos Historical Society, a Laboratory sanctioned organization, is co-sponsoring the events in Fuller Lodge downtown and in the Duane Smith Auditorium at Los Alamos High School. Other sponsors include the Atomic Heritage Foundation. Preceding the symposium on June 25 is the dedication of the Oppenheimer House downtown where Oppenheimer and his family lived - the house was recently acquired by the Los Alamos Historical Society - and a dinner at Fuller Lodge.

Gov. Bill Richardson is scheduled to attend and Laboratory Director G. Peter Nanos is scheduled to speak as are New Mexico senators Jeff Bingaman and Pete Domenici. Nanos also is scheduled to take part in closing remarks at the symposium on Saturday.

The cost to attend the June 25 evening dinner is $65. The symposium on June 26 is $50 and there are additional costs to attend other events.

For more information, go to http://www.atomicheritage.org or http://www.losalamos.com/Historicalsociety/ online. Additional information also is available by calling the Los Alamos Historical Society at 662-6272 or the Atomic Heritage Foundation at (202) 293-0045.

--Steve Sandoval

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