The Birth of the Atomic Age and its Consequences: WWII Los Alamos and its Impact on Nuclear Proliferation Today

The Birth of the Atomic Age and its Consequences: WWII Los Alamos and its Impact on Nuclear Proliferation Today

Wednesday, May 28, 2025 at 10:30 a.m. ET

Hybrid - In-person at BCC and Online via Zoom
Free and open to the public

OLLI instructor Katherine Kidd will interview Galina Vromen.

What was it like to live in WWII Los Alamos NM where the world's first atomic bomb was built? What were the considerations that went into using the bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, exactly 80 years ago? What is the situation at Los Alamos today and the state of nuclear proliferation?  WWII historical fiction author Galina Vromen and international relations professor Katherine Kidd will explore these questions in a conversation on fiction and fact.

Galina Vromen spent more than a decade as a foreign correspondent, mostly for Reuters News Agency, in the Netherlands, Britain, France, Mexico and Israel. After retiring, she focused her journalistic skills on writing Hill of Secrets, an historical novel based in WWII Los Alamos, where the world's first atomic bombs were made as part of the top- secret Manhattan Project. As a result of her interest in the dawn of the atomic age, she has become increasingly concerned about the lack of public awareness regarding the state of nuclear arms today. For more about Vromen and her book see www.galinavromen.com

Katherine Kidd earned her PhD at the University of Pennsylvania in international relations. She taught and directed international studies programs at Fairfield and Sacred Heart universities. Her work with international NGOs took her to Europe, Africa, Latin America, the Middle East and Hong Kong and included involvement in nuclear disarmament policies.

Pre-registration is required. Register safely and securely online or call 413.236.2190 (M-F 9am-4pm) to register by phone.