Rocket man: Durham presentation explores NASA’s von Braun









picture disc.

Michael Neufeld, Ph.D.

Michael Neufeld, Ph.D., of the National Air and Space Museum at the Smithsonian Institution, will present “Von Braun: Dreamer of Space, Engineer of War” at noon on March 14 at the Sorrell Center, Room 2018.

The presentation is made possible through UNMC’s partnership with the Durham Museum.

Chief rocket engineer of the Third Reich and one of the fathers of the U.S. space program, Wernher von Braun is a source of consistent fascination. Glorified as a visionary and vilified as a war criminal, he was a man of profound moral complexities, whose intelligence and charisma were coupled with an enormous, and, some would say, blinding ambition. Dr. Neufeld, the author of an award-winning biography of von Braun, will discuss von Braun’s life and career.

Dr. Neufeld is a curator in the Space History Department of NASM in Washington, D.C. His career has included numerous appearances on the History Channel, PBS, NPR, the BBC and other outlets.

The presentation is part of the Durham Museum and UNMC’s Time Travelers partnership program. The program provides free museum admission for medical center employees, students and their immediate family with a valid identification badge, while also offering lectures, workshops and other events on the medical center campus.