In this revelatory video, Dr. Harold Smith—a distinguished nuclear physicist who taught at Berkeley and became a key policy-maker in the Department of Defense during the Clinton administration—shares a rare, personal perspective on Dr. Edward Teller, one of the most influential and controversial figures of the Manhattan Project and later. Dr. Teller was for many years a Berkeley faculty member in the Physics Department and happily taught Physics 10 for non-majors.
Beginning with his reflections on the film Oppenheimer, Dr. Smith offers a nuanced and deeply informed portrait of Teller—not only as a brilliant scientist, but as a complex individual shaped by extraordinary times. Drawing from his own relationship with Teller, Dr. Smith sheds light on the man behind the myth, providing viewers with a richer understanding of Teller’s legacy in both science and policy. Sadly, Dr. Smith passed away shortly after this recording.
Recorded April 24, 2025 on the UC Berkeley campus.