Contents


Collection Summary

Biographical Note

Scope and Content Note

Organization of the Papers

Selected Search Terms

Container List

Committees and Organizations, 1946-2001

Science Magazine, 1962-2000

Speeches and Writings, 1950-1999

Miscellany, 1939-2002

Philip Hauge Abelson Papers

A Finding Aid to the Collection in the Library of Congress

Prepared by Donna Ellis

2003

Collection Summary

Creator Abelson, Philip Hauge
Title Philip Hauge Abelson Papers
Span Dates 1939-2002(bulk 1970-1989)
Abstract: Nuclear physicist, chemist, and editor. Correspondence, notes, reports, speeches and writings, and other papers documenting Abelson's contribution to scientific policy-making through committees, organizations, and publications.
Extent: 16,100 items46 containers18.4 linear feet
Language: Collection material in English
Identification: MSS84803

Biographical Note

Date Event
1913, Apr. 27 Born, Tacoma, Wash.
1935 M.S., Washington State University, Pullman, Wash.
1936 Married Neva Martin (died 2000)
1939
1940 Codiscoverer with Edwin M. McMillan of Element 93 (Neptunium)
1941-1945 Associate physicist, physicist, senior physicist, and principal physicist, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C.
1945 Awarded U.S. Navy Distinguished Civilian Service Medal
1946-1953 Chairman, Biophysics Section, Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, D.C.
1953-1971 Director, Geophysics Laboratory, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, D.C.
1959 Elected to National Academy of Sciences
1960-1963 General Advisory Committee, Atomic Energy Commission
1962-1984 Editor, Science magazine
1968-1981 Council member, National Academy of Sciences, with a seven-year absence from 1971 to 1978
1971-1978 President and trustee, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, D.C.
1972 Awarded Kalinga Prize, UNESCO
1978-1980 Chairman, Board of Trustees, Bio-Energy Council
1984 Received Distinguished Public Service Award, National Science Foundation

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Scope and Content Note

The papers of Philip Hauge Abelson (1913- ) span the years 1939-2002, with the bulk of the material dating from 1970 to 1989. The papers are organized in the following series: Committees and Organizations, Science Magazine, Speeches and Writings, and a Miscellany consisting of awards, biographical material, general correspondence, photographs, and printed material.

The Committees and Organizations series contains correspondence, financial records, grant proposals, minutes, publications, and reports relating to Abelson's participation in scientific professional organizations and advisory committees. Notable organizations include the American Geophysical Union, Bio-Energy Council, Carnegie Institution of Washington, International Union of Geological Sciences, Jet Propulsion Laboratory at the California Institute of Technology, and the National Academy of Sciences.

The Science Magazine series consists of texts of editorials written by Abelson during his tenure as editor of the chief publication of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. An index to the editorials is included. The correspondence primarily contains reactions of the general public and the scientific community to opinions voiced by Abelson in his editorials. As editor of this important publication, Abelson visited both foreign and domestic research laboratories. His notes and correspondence regarding these trips are included.

The Speeches and Writings series contains chiefly texts of speeches given by Abelson to educational institutions, private companies, and scientific organizations. Also included are articles written for publications other than Science and correspondence regarding two of Abelson's books.

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Selected Search Terms

People

  • Abelson, Philip Hauge.

Organizations

  • American Association for the Advancement of Science.
  • American Geophysical Union.
  • Bio-energy Council.
  • Carnegie Institution of Washington.
  • International Union of Geological Sciences.
  • Jet Propulsion Laboratory (U.S.)
  • National Academy of Sciences (U.S.)

Subjects

  • Science--Societies, etc.
  • Science.

Titles

  • Science.

Occupations

  • Chemists.
  • Editors.
  • Nuclear physicists.

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Organization of the Papers

The collection is arranged in four series:

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Container List

Committees and Organizations, 1946-2001

Correspondence, financial records, grant proposals, minutes, publications, and reports relating to Abelson's participation in scientific professional organizations and advisory committees.

Arranged alphabetically by name of committee or organization and therein chronologically.

Ad Hoc Geological Committee on Remote Sensing from Space, 1975-1976

Advisory Committee, American University, Washington, D.C., 1973

Advisory Panel on the Documentation, Dissemination, and Use of Research and Development Results, 1963-1964, undated

American Association for the Advancement of Science, 1965-1966, 1972-1979, 1990 (4 folders)

American Chemical Manufacturers Association, 1980

American Council on Education, 1978

American Geophysical Union

1973-1979

1980-1983 (6 folders)

American Philosophical Society, 1973-1979

Bio-Energy Council

Correspondence

1977

1978-1979 (7 folders)

Financial records, 1978-1980, undated

Grant proposals, 1979-1980, undated (7 folders)

Meeting minutes, 1978-1979

Miscellany, 1979-1980, undated

Brookings Institution, Washington, D.C., 1964-1966, 1977-1983

Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, D.C.

Correspondence, 1967-1970, 1980-1982

News releases and printed matter, 1962-1963, undated

Reports

Director of the Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, 1946-1954 (2 folders)

Director of the Geophysical Laboratory

1953-1963 (2 folders)

1963-1969 (6 folders)

1969-1971 (2 folders)

General Electric Corporate Research and Development, 1977-1978, undated (4 folders)

President

1946, 1956-1961

1964-1977 (2 folders)

Specialized Conference on the Application of Science and Technology to Latin American Development, Brasilia, Brazil, 1972 (3 folders)

Studies of Biosynthesis in Escherichia Coli, 1963

Chemical Abstracts Service, 1976-1980

Chemical Industry Institute of Toxicology, Research Triangle Park, N.C., 1979, 1985

Council on Science and Technology for Development

1977-1979 (5 folders)

1980-1981, undated

Encyclopedia of Bioethics, 1973-1974

Energy Information Administration, 1979

Geological Survey of Canada, 1979

International Geological Correlation Program, 1978-1981

International Union of Geological Sciences

1972-1979 (3 folders)

1980

Jan.-Mar.

Apr.-Nov. (2 folders)

Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, Calif.

Correspondence, 1976-1984 (3 folders)

Notes, 2001

Photographs, 1978-1980

Printed matter

1978-1980

1981, undated

National Academy of Public Administration, 1978-1984 (4 folders)

National Academy of Sciences

Awards, 1981-1982

Committee on an Aging Society, 1982-1983

Committee to Review the Office of Information, 1982

Congressional endowment proposal, 1980

Correspondence

1978

1979-1980 (7 folders)

1981-1984 (4 folders)

Finance Committee, 1974-1979

Geology Section, 1979-1983 (2 folders)

Institute of Medicine, 1973-1982

Meeting minutes

1978

1979-1981 (6 folders)

National Research Council

Advisory Committee on International Investment, Technology, and Development

1980

1981-1983

Biomass Substitutes for Liquid Fuels Symposium, Campinas, Brazil, 1981-1982 (2 folders)

Climate Research Board, 1980-1984 (3 folders)

Commission on International Relations, 1976-1981

Commission on Natural Resources

Board on Mineral and Energy Resources, 1975-1980 (4 folders)

Miscellany, 1979

Committee on Abiogenic Methane, 1979 (2 folders)

Committee on Geology, 1979

Committee on Internal Management Structure, 1981-1982

Committee on International Human Resources Issues, 1979

Division of Earth Sciences, 1973-1975

Division of Medical Sciences

Committee on Radiation Cataracts, 1949-1955

Subcommittee on Shock, 1950-1953 (2 folders)

Geological Sciences Board, 1979-1983, undated

Geophysics Research Board

1973-1978

1979 (6 folders)

1980-1984, undated (8 folders)

Governing Board meeting, 1979 (2 folders)

Miscellany, 1973, 1979

U.S. National Committee for the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics, 1973-1974, 1981-1983

Printed matter, 1978-1983 (3 folders)

Treasurer's reports, 1979-1981

National Association of Science Writers, 1963, 1976-1978

National Commission on Air Quality, 1981

National Science Foundation, 1964-1966, 1973-1984, undated (2 folders)

Phi Beta Kappa, 1979-1982, undated

President's Science Advisory Committee, 1980

Sigma Xi, 1964, 1973, 1979-1981, undated (5 folders)

Strategic Arms Limitations Talks (SALT), 1979

United States Association for the Club of Rome

1977

United States Association for the Club of Rome

1978-1981 (5 folders)

United States Congress, Office of Technology Assessment, 1978-1979

United States Geological Survey, 1979-1984 (2 folders)

United States Navy, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C.

Atomic Energy Submarine, 1946

Liquid Thermal Diffusion, 1946, 1958, 1985-1998 (4 folders)

Washington Gas Light Co., 1974-1975, 1981-1984

Science Magazine, 1962-2000

Texts of editorials written by Abelson, correspondence in reaction to his editorials, and notes taken on business trips.

Arranged alphabetically by type of material and therein chronologically.

Correspondence

1962 (2 folders)

1963

Jan.-Aug. (6 folders)

Sept.-Dec. (2 folders)

1964-1965 (6 folders)

1966-1969 (8 folders)

1970-1972 (9 folders)

1973-1974 (8 folders)

1975-1985, undated (8 folders)

Editorials

Index, 1962-2000 (2 folders)

1962-1971 (7 folders)

1972-1973 (7 folders)

1974-1987 (7 folders)

1988-2000 (2 folders)

Trips

California, 1962

China, 1978-1979 (2 folders)

India and Thailand, 1984 (3 folders)

London, England, 1963-1964

Research laboratories

Bell Laboratories, 1964, 1979

E.I. DuPont de Nemours and Co., 1978, undated

Exxon Research and Engineering Co., 1978

General Electric Co., 1975-1978

General Motors Research Laboratories, 1977-1979

International Business Machines Corp., 1978

Miscellany, 1978-1983, undated

Texas Instruments, 1978

3M Co., 1979

Speeches and Writings, 1950-1999

Articles, books, and texts of speeches along with related correspondence and administrative material.

Arranged alphabetically by type of material and therein chronologically.

Articles

1950-1992 (7 folders)

1993-1999, undated (2 folders)

Books

Energy: Uses, Conservation, and Supply, 1974

Enough of Pessimism, 1985-1987, 1993-1998, undated

Speech file

1963-1964 (4 folders)

1965-1973 (9 folders)

1974-1979 (7 folders)

1980-1981 (6 folders)

1982

Jan.-May

July-Nov. (4 folders)

1983-1990 (4 folders)

1991-1999, undated (3 folders)

Miscellany, 1939-2002

Awards, biographical material, general correspondence consisting primarily of invitations to speak, photographs, and printed matter.

Arranged alphabetically by type of material and therein chronologically.

Abelson, Neva, 1991-2000, undated

Appointment books and calendars, 1963-1979 (5 folders)

Awards and honors, 1962-1963, 1974-1995

Biographical material

Autobiography, 1997, undated

Miscellany, 1962-1965, 1972-1985, undated

Oral history transcripts, 2002, undated

Correspondence

1962-1970 (6 folders)

1971-1976 (10 folders)

1977

Jan.-Sept. (2 folders)

Oct.-Dec.

1978-1981 (6 folders)

1983

Jan.-Apr. (2 folders)

May-Dec. (2 folders)

1984-1991, 1997, undated (3 folders)

Photographs, 1939, 1968, 1984, undated

Printed matter, 1961-1975, 1982, undated (2 folders)

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