Taylor, William Randolph, 1895-

Variant names

Hide Profile

Professor of botany at University of Michigan, curator of algae at the University Herbarium, and biologist with the atomic bomb test program in Marshall Islands in 1946.

From the description of William Randolph Taylor papers, 1918-1990. (University of Michigan). WorldCat record id: 85778116

From the description of William Randolph Taylor papers, 1918-1980. (University of Michigan). WorldCat record id: 34421614

William Randolph Taylor was born in Philadelphia on December 21, 1895. He was educated at the University of Pennsylvania receiving his Ph.D. in botany in 1920. He taught at the University of Pennsylvania becoming professor of botany in 1927. Taylor was throughout his career interested in cytology. He was also deeply involved with microscopy, first with flowering plants and later with algae.

Taylor came to the University of Michigan in 1930 with an appointment as professor of botany and curator of algae in the Herbarium. Simultaneous to his career at Pennsylvania and Michigan, Taylor had worked with the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts where he taught the algal course and where he spent most summers from 1917 to 1989.

Taylor excelled as a collector of marine algae, especially seaweed, in British Columbia, New England and eastern Canada, throughout the Caribbean and northern South America, islands off western Mexico to the Galapagos Islands. In 1946, Taylor was appointed senior biologist in "Operation Crossroads" of the Department of Navy and conducted a botanical survey of Bikini and other Marshall Islands in the South Pacific prior to and immediately after the testing of atomic bombs.

Taylor published extensively in his field and was the recipient of many professional honors and citations. He died November 11, 1990.

From the guide to the William Randolph Taylor Papers, 1918-1980, (Bentley Historical Library University of Michigan)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Albert Leroy Andrews correspondence, 1899-1964. Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library.
referencedIn Weatherwax mss., 1915-1975 Lilly Library (Indiana University, Bloomington)
creatorOf Taylor, William Randolph, 1895-. William Randolph Taylor papers, 1918-1980. Bentley Historical Library
creatorOf Rogers, Donald P. (Donald Philip), 1908-. Donald P. Rogers records 1947-1957. New York Botanical Garden, The LuEsther T. Mertz Library
referencedIn University of Michigan Faculty and Staff Portraits, ca. 1860-ca. 1960 Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn Ralph A. Sawyer Papers, 1918-1978 Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn William B. Provine collection of evolutionary biology reprints, 20th century. Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library.
referencedIn Andrews, Albert Le Roy, 1878-1964. Albert L. Andrews correspondence, 1899-1964. Cornell University Library
creatorOf Sawyer, Ralph A. (Ralph Alanson), 1895-1978. Ralph A. Sawyer papers, 1918-1978. Bentley Historical Library
creatorOf William Randolph Taylor Papers, 1918-1980 Bentley Historical Library
creatorOf Rogers, Donald P. (Donald Philip), 1908-. Donald P. Rogers records, 1947-1957. New York State Historical Documents Inventory
referencedIn News and Information Services (University of Michigan) photograph series D (faculty and staff portraits), 1946-2006, 1950-1990 Bentley Historical Library
creatorOf Taylor, William Randolph, 1895-. William Randolph Taylor papers, 1918-1990. Bentley Historical Library
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Andrews, Albert Le Roy, 1878-1964. person
associatedWith Michigan Historical Collections corporateBody
correspondedWith Provine, William B. person
associatedWith Rogers, Donald P. (Donald Philip), 1908- person
associatedWith Sawyer, Ralph A. (Ralph Alanson), 1895-1978. person
associatedWith University of Michigan corporateBody
associatedWith University of Michigan. Dept. of Botany. corporateBody
associatedWith University of Michigan. Dept. of Botany. corporateBody
associatedWith University of Michigan. News and Information Services corporateBody
associatedWith University of Michigan. University Herbarium. corporateBody
associatedWith Weatherwax, Paul, 1888- person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Marshall Islands
Bikini Atoll (Marshall Islands)
Bikini Atoll (Marshall Islands)
Michigan--Ann Arbor
Subject
Algae
Algae
Atomic bomb
Botany
Operation Crossroads, 1946
Operation Crossroads, Marshall Islands, 1946
Scientists
Scientists
Occupation
Activity

Person

Birth 1895

Death 1990

Information

Permalink: http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6x068fm

Ark ID: w6x068fm

SNAC ID: 72947734