Frank Oppenheimer
Frank Friedman Oppenheimer (14 August 1912 – 3 February 1985) was an American particle physicist, cattle rancher, professor of physics at the University of Colorado, and the founder of the Exploratorium in San Francisco.
Not to be confused with Franz Oppenheimer.
Frank Oppenheimer
February 3, 1985 (aged 72)
- Target of McCarthyism
- Uranium enrichment
- Founder and director (1969–1985) of the Exploratorium
- Brother of J. Robert Oppenheimer
3
J. Robert Oppenheimer (brother)
- Guggenheim Fellowship (1965)
- Oersted Medal (1984)
Beta Ray Spectra (1939)
The younger brother of renowned physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, Frank Oppenheimer conducted research on aspects of nuclear physics during the time of the Manhattan Project, and made contributions to uranium enrichment. After the war, Oppenheimer's earlier involvement with the American Communist Party placed him under scrutiny, and he resigned from his physics position at the University of Minnesota. Oppenheimer was a target of McCarthyism and was blacklisted from finding any physics teaching position in the United States until 1957, when he was allowed to teach science at a high school in Colorado. This rehabilitation allowed him to gain a position at the University of Colorado teaching physics. In 1969, Oppenheimer founded the Exploratorium in San Francisco, and he served as its first director until his death in 1985.
Early life and education[edit]
Frank Friedman Oppenheimer was born in 1912 in New York City to a Jewish family. His parents were Ella (née Friedman), a painter, and Julius Seligmann Oppenheimer, a successful textile importer from Hanau in the Kingdom of Prussia.[5] During his childhood, he studied painting. He also studied the flute under nationally known teacher George Barrera, becoming competent enough at the instrument to consider a career as a flautist.[6]: 30 [7]
He was close to his brother Robert throughout their lives.
Oppenheimer began his schooling at the Ethical Culture School, where he attended until seventh grade. The remainder of his high school education was completed at Fieldston School in Riverdale, a school operated by the Ethical Culture Society.[8]
Following the advice of his older brother Robert, he became a professional physicist. In 1930 he began his studies at Johns Hopkins University, graduating three years later with a BS in physics.[8] He then studied for a further 18 months at the Cavendish Laboratory in Cambridge, England. While in England he earned a pilot's license.[2] In 1935, he worked on the development of nuclear particle counters at the Institute di Arcetri in Florence, Italy.
While completing his PhD at the California Institute of Technology, Oppenheimer became engaged to Jacquenette Quann, an economics student at the University of California, Berkeley; she was also active in the Young Communist League. In spite of his brother Robert's advice,[9] Oppenheimer and Jackie were married in 1936 and they both joined the American Communist Party, also against the older brother's advice. Oppenheimer and his wife were atheists.[10]
Oppenheimer received his PhD in 1939 and completed two postdoctoral years at Stanford University.[8]
Return to teaching[edit]
In 1957, the Red Scare had lessened to the point that Oppenheimer was allowed to teach science at a local high school.
Frank taught a number of subjects within the field of science such as chemistry, physics, biology in addition to general science at the local High School in Pagosa Springs Colorado. He expressed his driving force to teach was to simply share his appreciation and skills to the youth, and to prepare them for learning as if they might prepare for higher education in the field of science.
[19]
Under Oppenheimer's tutelage, several students from Pagosa Springs High School took first prize at the Colorado State Science Fair.[6]: 117 Within two years, supported by endorsements from physicists Hans Bethe, George Gamow, and Victor Weisskopf,[6]: 130 Oppenheimer was offered a position at the University of Colorado teaching physics.
While returning to particle physics research, Oppenheimer also took an increasing interest in developing improvements in science education. He was eventually awarded a grant from the National Science Foundation to develop new pedagogical methods, which resulted in a "Library of Experiments"—nearly one hundred models of classical laboratory experiments which could be used in aiding the teaching of physics to elementary and high school children.[6]: 138–139 These models would later become the core of the first exhibits at the Exploratorium.[16] Oppenheimer also worked with the Physical Science Study Committee (PSSC), helping to develop a new high school physics curriculum in the immediate post-Sputnik years.[6]: 118
In his work, Oppenheimer followed the well-known old Latin principle Docendo discimus—"the (best) way to learn is to teach".[20]
Final years[edit]
In 1977, Oppenheimer was diagnosed with lymphoma, and underwent two years of successful chemotherapy.[6]: 294 Oppenheimer's first wife Jacquenette, died in 1980.[2] In 1982, he married Mildred "Milly" Danielson.[3][4]
In 1983, lung cancer was discovered (he was a heavy smoker[6]), and he underwent a lobectomy, in spite of which he continued to play the flute.[6]: 294 Oppenheimer still remained active, appearing at the Exploratorium nearly daily until the last few weeks of his life. He died at home in Sausalito, California, on February 3, 1985.[6]: 298 [16]