Charles and Karen Oppenheimer, and Theo Kalionzes with distinguished guests at the residence of Peter Potman, Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the UN in Vienna.
Dear friends,
It has continued to be a big year for the Oppenheimer Project, and I’m excited to update you on what we’ve been up to since August.
We just returned from a 10-day trip to Europe for a series of events with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the organization in the United Nations family that pursues atoms for peace and development. I spoke at the Nuclear Stakeholder School in Trieste, and in Vienna, we met with IAEA leader Rafael Grossi about deepening collaboration between our organizations.
Grossi and I then joined the esteemed Elena Sokova, head of the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Nonproliferation, for a conversation before the diplomatic community called Powering Hope. We grappled with nuclear energy’s global resurgence, and the persistent dangers posed by nuclear weapons.
Our meetings in Vienna marked the validation of the vision I’ve had since the beginning of the Oppenheimer Project: when we convene leaders to discuss the deeper problems in the world, it becomes clear that human connection can transcend differences. Our meetings in Vienna also made clear that our organization, an independent entity with a recognized legacy and bold mission, brings a much-needed new voice and partnership to these wicked problems.
The Oppenheimer legacy can mean many things to people. Historians, filmmakers, and playwrights have made art and profits sharing the story of Oppenheimer from their perspectives. But our family, despite our tradition of not doing so, has as much right to shape the narrative and discussion around the meaning of JRO. My view in building an institution is that it can focus on the most important things in the world—like increasing global cooperation, particularly among the three major superpowers. They have to decide: will we escalate a world-threatening nuclear arms race, or allocate resources to things like energy security that make us safer? Through the power of dialogue, human connection, and scientific cooperation, the Oppenheimer Project can do what the world needs now.
More below on our past several months, and we’re grateful to everyone who has worked with us so enthusiastically.
And for many you who know me from Oppenheimer Energy, we have a new domain and very exciting things brewing for 2025! Please reach out to charles@oppenheimer.energy for more information about that.
Charles Oppenheimer, Founder
End of Year Highlights
Teams from Pillsbury and Oppenheimer Project together at Pillsbury’s New York City headquarters during Climate Week NYC in September. Colleagues are holding copies of a 1945 letter signed by J. Robert Oppenheimer to then-US Secretary of War Henry Stimson, urging global peace and focus on “making future wars impossible”; Stimson was a founding partner of Pillsbury and our event was held in the Stimson Room.
Collaboration with International Atomic Energy Agency
The IAEA, founded in 1957, evolved from the Acheson-Lilienthal proposal of 1946, which, if followed, could have avoided the nuclear arms race we’re now stuck in. We had great discussions with Director General Grossi and his team on our visit to Vienna in December, and are working on an agreement to work more closely together in promoting atoms for peace and development. Also a special thanks to the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation for organizing thoughtful discussions and for their continued partnership.
Texas Nuclear Summit in Austin
In November, we were key participants in the Texas Nuclear Summit, which gathered leaders from across the nuclear industry to highlight the State’s immense potential in leading the clean energy transition by building new nuclear power plants.
“Breaking the Stalemate” & the inaugural Oppenheimer Dialogue at Climate Week NYC
September saw much of the climate-focused world converge in New York City, and it was fantastic to be there convening with existing partners and new friends throughout Climate Week NYC. The law firm Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman graciously co-hosted our “Breaking the Stalemate” roundtable that brought together a diverse range of experts and key stakeholders for candid discussion around what it will take to truly catalyze financing for the next US nuclear energy builds.
With generous support from Breakthrough Energy and the Rodel Foundation, we also launched the Oppenheimer Dialogue Funder Roundtable Series that builds a learning community amongst philanthropic funders at the intersection of nuclear, climate, and technology policy.
More from us…
Check out our high school intern, Spencer Martin’s thoughtful summary and reflections on action-oriented Climate Week event, as well as more about his own journey here. Thank you, Spencer, for your excitement in motivating up and coming generations on the promise of nuclear energy.
Charles Oppenheimer authored “War Doesn’t Work Anymore” as The New York Times Turning Points Guest Essay, December 3rd.
Ash Jogalekar and Charles Oppenheimer wrote “How a Cold War plan to stop nuclear proliferation could protect the world from an AI arms race” in Fast Company, October 2024.
Maria Korsnick and Charles Oppenheimer wrote “Atoms for Peace Means Atoms for Climate” in Foreign Policy, September 2024.
Help us reach our year-end goal!
We are deeply grateful to our early supporters, whose generosity has been the driving force behind Oppenheimer Project’s achievements over the past year. Thanks to their contributions, we’ve been able to convene meaningful dialogues, participate in influential global forums to promote new ways of collaboration, and build a small but mighty team of seasoned experts and passionate interns.
Now, we are just $50,000 away from reaching our ambitious $500,000 goal. Achieving this milestone will allow us to sustain the momentum we’ve built and continue creating meaningful change. Together, we can shape the future—your support today makes it possible.