Influence On J. Robert Oppenheimer's Life And Work

J. Robert Oppenheimer had a very interesting life that undoubtedly influence his works in science. He was born on April 22, 1904 in New York City, New York. The Oppenheimers were Ashkenazi Jews. In his childhood, J. Robert Oppenheimer moved to Manhattan. Early on, Oppenheimer attended Alcuin Preparatory School. However, in 1911, he switched and began attending the Ethical Culture Fieldston School. His family was a part of the Ethical Culture Society. The Ethical Culture Society was an outgrowth of American Reform Judaism. It emphasized social justice, civic responsibility, and secular humanism; it was led by Dr. Felix Adler. By the age of 10, Oppenheimer had already begun studying minerals, physics, and chemistry. He was invited to deliver a lecture …show more content…
In 1927, J. Robert Oppenheimer received his doctorate. He proceeded to accept double professorships at the University of California, Berkeley, and the California Institute of Technology. Additionally, Oppenheimer's family was influential on his life as well. J. Robert Oppenheimer’s father was Julius Oppenheimer. He was a wealthy, Jewish textile importer who had immigrated to the United States from Germany in 1888. He put some of his wealth towards art appreciation. Julius Oppenheimer’s art collection included Picasso, Vuillard, and Van Gogh. J. Robert Oppenheimer’s father had been a member of the Ethical Culture Society and served on the Board of Trustees from 1907 to 1915. Julius Oppenheimer’s wealth and position within the society allowed for the greater success of J. Robert Oppenheimer by providing him with a quality, advanced education. J. Robert Oppenheimer’s mother was named Ella Friedman. She was an American born painter from Baltimore. He had one brother named Frank Oppenheimer that also continued to become a physicist. Robert Oppenheimer was born into the ideal family following the “American