Event Description:
This talk draws on Matthew Shindell’s new biography of Nobel Prize–winning chemist Harold C. Urey (1893–1981). Urey, one of the most famous American scientists of the 20th century, participated in some of the century’s most significant moments, including the Manhattan Project and NASA’s lunar exploration program. Shindell shines new light on Urey’s achievements and efforts to shape his public and private lives.
The talk follows Urey through his orthodox religious upbringing, the scientific work that won him the Nobel, and his subsequent efforts to use his fame to intervene in political, social, and scientific matters. By exploring those efforts, as well as Urey’s evolution from farm boy to scientific celebrity, Shindell highlights broader changes in the social and intellectual landscape of 20th-century America.
Event Speaker:
Matthew Shindell, Curator of Planetary Science and Exploration at the National Air and Space Musuem
Event Information:
Free and open to the public. Please join from your computer, tablet, or smartphone at gotomeeting.com. You can also dial in at 872-240-3311 using access code 669-615-717. For more information, please visit the event webpage.
Hosted by the Science History Institute as part of their Lunchtime Lectures series.
