I remember hearing similar sentiments from a couple of decades ago about nuclear physics and engineering in particular. Because they’re not seen as cutting edge fields anymore, they have a hard time competing against other sciences and engineering disciplines. When you factor in computer science as well, things look even more grim.

It’s not new, though. The excellent textbook Feynman on Physics was part of an effort by CalTech to make physics more attractive to the smartest students. Their approach was to get Richard Feynman to teach Physics 101 for a year.

I’m not sure CalTech ever had a legitimate problem with attracting brilliant students to study physics, to be honest, and I suspect that if there was a desperate need for nuclear science the government would be pretty free with scholarships and research grants.

I haven’t watched the movie yet, but I am very familiar with the story. I can’t imagine a biography of Oppenheimer in particular would make someone want to go into physics. Maybe a biography of Feynman would, though. Marie Curie. All I can remember about Neil’s Bohr at the moment is that his department made him go into theoretical physics because he was ridiculously clumsy and kept breaking lab equipment. I’m sure there’s others.