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Oak Ridge Schools to host panel discussion, documentary screening for ‘Oppenheimer’

Posted at 2:00 am July 19, 2023
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge Schools will host a free, community-centered red carpet event Wednesday featuring a 90-minute panel discussion and a screening of the documentary film “Oppenheimer After Trinity.”

The panel—made up of local scientists, historians, filmmakers, and Oak Ridge students—will re-examine the conversations held over 80 years ago surrounding the splitting of the atom and discuss the development and deployment of emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, and their potential impact on future generations, a press release said.

The event will be held at the Oak Ridge High School Auditorium on Wednesday, July 19, from 6-8:30 p.m. and it will include free popcorn and soda for attendees. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. for guests to mingle, enjoy the red carpet, and take photos, the press release said.

“As a nod to the birth of Oak Ridge, 1940s era attire is encouraged, though not required,” the release said

Held during Premiere Week for the blockbuster film “Oppenheimer,” the event presents an opportunity to celebrate the unique history of the Oak Ridge community and position Oak Ridge students alongside community leaders to encourage their intellectual growth and prepare them as the next generation of industry leaders on the global stage, the press release said.

Robert Oppenheimer was a physicist who led the scientific work to develop the world’s first atomic bombs during World War II as part of the top-secret Manhattan Project. Oak Ridge was a production site for the project.

WHAT: A free, community-centered red-carpet event featuring a 90-minute panel discussion around the development and deployment of emerging technologies and their potential impact on future generations, accompanied by a screening of the documentary film “Oppenheimer After Trinity.”

WHEN: Wednesday, July 19, from 6-8:30 p.m.

WHO: Open to the public

WHERE: Oak Ridge High School Auditorium

FEATURED PANELISTS:

  • Lynne Parker, director of the AI Tennessee Initiative at University of Tennessee Knoxville
  • Prasanna Balaprakash, director of Oak Ridge National Lab Artificial Intelligence Initiative
  • Julie Ezold, technical adviser for the U.S. Department of Energy Isotope Program
  • Trent Di Giulio, director of “Oppenheimer After Trinity”
  • Ray Smith, City of Oak Ridge historian
  • Oak Ridge High School students:
  • Aaliyah Herron, senior
  • Isabella Zolnierczuk, senior
  • Odelia Kneiser, junior
  • Elena Vogt, sophomore

For more information on the event, visit www.ortn.edu/oppenheimer.

Filed Under: Entertainment, History, Movies, Top Stories Tagged With: atomic bomb, Manhattan Project, Robert Oppenheimer, World War II

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