Harold A. Feiveson, a two-time Princeton School of Public and International Affairs alumnus who taught for decades at his alma mater and co-founded its acclaimed Program on Science and Global Security (SGS), died peacefully at his home in Princeton July 10. He was 90.
Dr. Feiveson — “Hal” to his friends — was an influential researcher in the fields of nuclear weapons and nuclear energy policy, a leading advocate for nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, and a warmly remembered teacher and colleague.
“I can still remember the atmosphere he created in the classroom and the way he both taught and empowered us,” said Anne-Marie Slaughter ’80, whom Dr. Feiveson taught and with whom he worked when she returned to the School as dean. “To revere a teacher when you are a student is not so unusual, but Hal was just as civil and decent, and yes, gentlemanly, as a faculty member when I was dean. He embodied the decency and dignity that this country is sorely lacking right now. I grieve his loss.”
Born in Chicago, Dr. Feiveson attended the Illinois Institute of Technology, where he earned a bachelor’s in physics and played varsity baseball. A master’s in physics from the University of California, Los Angeles, followed. He went to work for Hughes Aircraft and was tasked with developing nuclear-armed air-to-air missiles to be used against Soviet nuclear bombers, an assignment that disillusioned him. Dr. Feiveson decided instead to focus on nuclear arms control, and he came to Princeton SPIA for his MPA. After graduating and spending four years with the science bureau of the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, he returned to the School to begin a doctoral program.
Dr. Feiveson earned his Ph.D. in 1972, joined the Princeton SPIA faculty, and went on to cofound SGS with Frank von Hippel. The two co-directed the program until 2006, in the process helping to shape it into one of the oldest and most highly regarded academic programs focused on technical and policy studies on nuclear issues in the world.
As a researcher, Dr. Feiveson studied nuclear weapons and nuclear energy policy. In addition to publishing in numerous leading scientific journals, in 1989 he helped to found the international journal Science & Global Security, of which he served as editor for the next 21 years. He was a member of the International Panel on Fissile Materials and a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Dr. Feiveson taught numerous courses, policy task forces, and graduate workshops relating to nuclear weapons, energy, and national and global environmental issues.
Former Princeton trustee Aaron Harber ’75 took classes with Dr. Feiveson and was his senior thesis advisee.
“While he was known worldwide for his work in nuclear policy, seeking to make our world a safer place, only those who knew him experienced one of the kindest, gentlest intellectuals who could ask the tough questions and get the best out of you,” Harber recalled. “Having so successfully and so incredibly taught, supported, and mentored thousands of students over the years, thanks to his pedagogy, leadership, and inspiration, many of us dedicated ourselves to making the world a better place.”
A passionate supporter of the Princeton Tigers, Dr. Feiveson also taught freshman seminars on intercollegiate athletics, values, and the educational experience.
“Professor Feiveson was more than a professor — he was a lifeline,” said Will Venable ’05, who played basketball and baseball at Princeton, went on to a nine-year Major League Baseball playing career, and is in his first season as manager of the Chicago White Sox. “He went above and beyond to be there when any member of the basketball team needed help — whether it was offering feedback on papers, running through ideas or simply, talking through issues we might have with a class. There’s no way I could have survived without his guidance to navigate the academic challenges.”
Jeff Orleans, a former director of the Ivy League, co-taught seminars with Dr. Feiveson, whom he praised for encouraging students to “get the facts right and … really try and be rigorous.”
“It wasn’t didactic,” Orleans said. “Even though this was not a research seminar in any way, it was important to him that the students understand what mattered most was not your point of view or somebody else’s point of view. It wasn’t even necessarily coming to an answer with what we were trying to explore. It was the exploration, it was trying to see what we could all bring to bear on it together.”
Former New York Knicks president and general manager Steve Mills ’81 played basketball for the Tigers and was a student of Dr. Feiveson, whom he remembered as “a special friend and an enthusiastic educator.”
“We always enjoyed seeing each other at games and sharing our mutual passion for the rich history of Princeton basketball,” Mills said. “One of the most meaningful experiences I had with Hal was the opportunity he gave me to co-teach his Dilemmas in Athletics freshman seminar in 2009. That experience deepened my connection to the University and its students in an unforgettable way.”
Dr. Feiveson was such a fervent supporter of Princeton athletics that he was recognized with the Marvin Bressler Award, given to a Princetonian who “best embodies a belief in the lifelong lessons taught by competition and athletics as a complement to the overall educational mission,” in 2010.
“I am so saddened to hear of Hal’s passing,” said Gary D. Walters ’67, who was the University’s athletic director at the time. “Hal was the very personification of a mensch. He was a dear friend and a huge basketball fan who attended every home game and many practices. He was a great mentor to many students and academicians. His engaging and easy manner enabled him to connect with everyone. I will miss him greatly. We have lost a great father, husband, professor and teacher.”
Dr. Feiveson retired in 2013 and was appointed a senior research scientist, emeritus.
“Hal Feiveson made a difference for Princeton, for America, and for the world,” Harber said. “He will be forever missed.”
Dr. Feiveson is survived by Carol, his wife of 51 years, their children Dan, Peter, and Laura, and their four grandchildren.
A memorial service celebrating Hal Feiveson’s life will be held Sunday, July 27, from 2 to 4 p.m., in Chancellor Green. A fuller description of his remarkable life and career can be found on the SGS website.