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Birth
Oppenheimer was born in New York City to a wealthy Jewish textile family. They lived in the fine side of New York on 155 Riverside Drive. -
Graduation
J. Robert Oppenheimer graduates from Ethical Culture School, New York. During his senior year he became very interested in Chemistry. -
Graduates from Harvard
In 1925 Oppenheimer graduates from Harvard University with a major in chemistry. After three years at Harvard he did very well in chemistry, summa cum laude. -
Travels to England
In September of 1925 Oppenheimer sails to England to study physics at Cambridge University. -
Goes to Germany
In 1926 Oppenheimer was invited to work at the Gottingen University in Germany by Max Born. Oppenheimer met the physicists Neil Bohr and Paul Dirac. -
Recieves a PHD
In 1927, at the age of 23, Oppenheimer recieves his doctorate from the Gottingen University. -
Accepts Professorship
On returning to the United States, Oppenheimer accepted an associate professorship from the University of California. -
Promoted to full Professor
In 1936 Berkeley promoted him to full professor at a salary of $3300 per annum. In return he was asked to also teach at Caltech. -
Gets Married
On November 1, 1940 Oppenheimer marries Katherine Puening Harrison, a Berkley student and former Communist Party Member. -
Son is born
In May of 1941 Oppenheimers first son Peter is born. -
Joins the Manhattan Project
In September, Brigadier General Leslie R. Groves, Jr. selected Oppenheimer to head the Manhattan Project's secret weapons laboratory. -
Katherine is born
Their second child, Katherine was born in Los Alamos, New Mexico, on December 7, 1944. -
First Atomic Bomb Test
Oppenheimer wittnesses the first artificial nuclear bomb detonate in the New Mexico Desert. He is quoted in saying, "I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds." -
Recieves the Presidential Medal of Merit
For his services as director of Los Alamos, Oppenheimer was awarded the Medal for Merit from President Harry S Truman in 1946. -
Chairman of AEC
Oppenheimer was appointed as the Chairman of the General Advisory Committee of the Atomic ENergy Commission. -
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Director at Princton
In the years between 1947 and 1966, Oppenheimer was the Director at Princeton's University for Advanced Studies. -
Suspended from AEC
December 21, 1953 Oppenheimer gets suspended from the GAC of the AEC for having communist ties. Most of his family and friends were members of the Communist Party. -
Legion of Honor
In September 1957, France made Oppenheimer an Officer of the Legion of Honor. -
Royal Society in Britain
May 3, 1962, Julius was elected a Foreign Member of the Royal Society in Britain. -
Recieves Enrico Fermi Award
President Lyndon Johnson, presented Oppenheimer with the Enrico Fermi Award, "for contributions to theoretical physics as a teacher and originator of ideas, and for leadership of the Los Alamos Laboratory and the atomic energy program during critical years." -
Death
After a fight with throat cancer and unsucessful chemotherapy Oppenheimer falls into a coma and dies 3 days later.
