HISTORICAL SOCIETY NEWS RELEASE
The Los Alamos Historical Society is pleased to announce its upcoming lecture, a free event that will be held at Fuller Lodge in the Pajarito Room from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 25, 2025. Dr. Koeth’s lecture, Taking the Enigma out of the Enigma– How did it work? is sure to engage the historians, scientists, and code breakers among us.
We’ve all heard about the Enigma! It has been said that the invention of radar won the war, the atomic bomb ended the war, and breaking the Enigma code shortened the war – by two years or more. In this lecture, Dr. Koeth will take a deep dive into the inner workings of the Enigma machine, and help us understand its principle of operation in theory and hardware. He will explore its strengths and weaknesses, and how its impenetrable security became quite vulnerable through simple human error. Dr. Koeth will also demonstrate, with audience participation of course, the operation of an actual WWII German Enigma machine. After the lecture all audience members will have an opportunity to inspect and operate this historical artifact. Bring your camera!
Dr. Tim Koeth is an assistant professor at the University of Maryland’s Department of Materials Science and Engineering. A physicist with a passion for both cutting-edge research and atomic-era artifacts, Dr. Koeth brings a unique perspective that blends science, history, and engineering.
Dr. Koeth’s work spans from high-tech research—studying radiation damage on neutron detectors for CERN’s Large Hadron Collider and investigating spacecraft electronics under extreme conditions—to his role as Principal Investigator on multiple projects with DARPA and Lockheed Martin. He is also an affiliate at Los Alamos National Laboratory and a co-investigator on a fusion experiment funded by ARPA-E.
But his interests go far beyond the lab. A dedicated collector and historian of the Atomic Age, Dr. Koeth has curated and preserved early nuclear artifacts, vintage cryptographic machines, and classic Tektronix oscilloscopes. His work has been featured in Physics Today and on NPR’s Morning Edition. Recently, one of his prized artifacts became the centerpiece of The Dark Cube exhibit at the National Museum of Nuclear Science and History in Albuquerque.
With over 75 publications, nearly 50 invited talks, and two patents to his name, Dr. Koeth is not only a leading scientist but also a storyteller, bringing history and science to life in captivating ways. Don’t miss the opportunity to hear him speak at the Los Alamos Historical Society on March 25, at 7 pm in the Pajarito Room in Fuller Lodge.
For more information on Dr. Koeth’s research, visit http://koethgroup.umd.edu.
The Los Alamos Historical Society extends a heartfelt appreciation to TechSource for their generous sponsorship of our Lecture Series and their continual commitment to supporting our community. We look forward to seeing you there!
Phone: (505) 695-3524
Email: execasst@losalamoshistory.org
Website: www.losalamoshistory.org
To view lectures online, visit the Los Alamos Historical Society YouTube Channel:
http://www.youtube.com/@LosAlamosHistoricalSociety