Martin David Kamen Papers, 1923 - 1992

  1. Resources
  2. View Resource

ArchivalResource

Martin David Kamen Papers, 1923 - 1992

http://www.oac.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/tf4199n98r

Martin David Kamen (8/27/13- ) received a B.S. in chemistry from the University of Chicago in 1933 and a Ph.D. in physical chemistry from the same institution in 1936. He continued his research at Berkeley's Radiation Laboratory (later known as the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory) in 1936, where he co-discovered carbon-14 in 1940 with Samuel Ruben. Kamen was expelled from the Radiation Laboratory in 1944 as a security risk for unspecified reasons. During his career at Washington University (1945-1957) he focused on the biochemical processes of photosynthesis. Much of his energy at this time was diverted by non-scientific matters: a libel suit against the Chicago Tribune, which falsely accused him of being a communist, as well as a successful 7-year battle to recover his passport, which had been rescinded by the U.S. government. In 1948, Kamen testified before the House Un-American Activities Committee. In 1985, Kamen published an autobiography, RADIANT SCIENCE, DARK POLITICS, documenting the details of this period in his personal and professional life. Following four years at Brandeis University (1957-1961), he joined the University of California, San Diego Chemistry Department, where he acted as a "founding father" of the new campus. Kamen was named Professor Emeritus in 1977.Correspondence, research notebooks, manuscripts and publications, newspaper clippings, and other miscellaneous material arranged in five series: 1. BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIALS, 2. CORRESPONDENCE, 3. LITIGATION, 4. WRITINGS, and 5. SUBJECT FILES. The bulk of the collection dates from 1945-1955 and reflects Kamen's re-organization of his files in preparation for writing RADIANT SCIENCE, DARK POLITICS. The collection also includes correspondence and research notes spanning Kamen's days at the University of Chicago to his tenure as chairman of the UCSD Chemistry Department. Notably lacking, however, are materials relating to his co-discovery of carbon-14; these are held at UC-Berkeley's Bancroft Library. Documentation of Kamen's role as a faculty recruiter and policy-maker on the UCSD campus is also very limited.

7.00 linear feet; (14 archives boxes, 1 oversize folder)

eng,

University of California, San Diego. Geisel Library. Mandeville Special Collections Library.

Information

SNAC Resource ID: 6664260

Related Entities

There are 11 Entities related to this resource.

Oppenheimer, J. Robert, 1904-1967

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6xb349g (person)

J. Robert Oppenheimer: Physicist (quantum theory and nuclear physics). On the physics faculty at California Institute of Technology and University of California, Berkeley in theoretical physics, 1929-1947; director of Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, 1943-1945; chairman of the General Advisory Committee of the Atomic Energy Commission, 1946-1952; director of the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton, 1947-1966....

Franck, James, 1882-1964

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w65f9j9x (person)

James Franck was born August 26, 1882 in Hamburg, Germany, where his Sephardic Jewish forebears had lived for over two hundred years [Box 20, folder 58 and Box 21, folder 1]. His father, Jacob Franck, was a banker who wanted his son to follow a business career in keeping with family tradition. From childhood on, however, James could imagine no other life but science. An X-ray photograph illustrates his fascination with new discoveries in physics. He had already read of Roentgen's X...

United States

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6f874hn (corporateBody)

Idaho became a state on July 3, 1890 with post offices being established as early as 1876. From the guide to the Franklin County, Idaho Post Office Location Records, 1876-1945, (Utah State University. Special Collections and Archives) These photographs document Region 4, started in 1910, of the US Forest Service, covering Utah, Nevada, Southern Idaho, and Western Wyoming. From the guide to the US Forest Service Photograph Collection., 19...

Lawrence Berkeley laboratory

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6kw9dbx (corporateBody)

Hevesy, Georg ˜vonœ 1885-1966

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6j104hh (person)

Chemist (radioactivity, isotope separation). Associate at the Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of Copenhagen (1920-1926, 1934-1943); on the physical chemistry faculty at Universität Freiburg im Breisgau (1926-1935) and associate at the Institute for Research in Organic Chemistry from 1943. From the description of Lectures, 1962. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 78354780 From the description of Lectures [microform], 1962. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 83426747 ...

Washington university Saint Louis, Mo.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w66m6x61 (corporateBody)

On October 17, 2000, Washington University hosted the third presidential debate before the 2000 presidential election. This was the second debate held on the University campus: the University had hosted a debate in 1992 and was scheduled to host a 1996 debate which was later cancelled. The debate was held in the Washington University Field House, where Texas governor George W. Bush and Vice President Al Gore debated for ninety minutes over issues such as health care, tax cuts, the death penalty,...

University of California, San Diego

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6pk47t2 (corporateBody)

Administrative History The Chancellor acts as head of administration and has general authority over the campus. He is responsible for setting up the administrative structure and insuring that the various units function properly. He has specific delegated authority to sign employment contracts of faculty and staff and to represent the University in public forums. Herbert F. York was appointed first Chancellor of the University of C...

Pauling, Linus, 1901-1994

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6zk5j54 (person)

Born in Portland, Oregon on 28 February 1901. Died on 19 August 1994. Education: B.S., Chemical Engineering, Oregon State College (1922), Ph.D., Physical Chemistry and Mathematical Physics, California Institute of Technology (1925). Employment: 1925-1926 National Research Council; 1926-1927 Universities of Münich, Zürich, and Copenhagen; 1922-1969 California Institute of Technology; 1969- Stanford University; 1973-1979 Linus Pauling Institute of Science and Medicine. From the descr...

Compton, Arthur Holly, 1892-1962

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6ww7gdp (person)

Physicist Arthur Holly Compton worked as a research engineer at Westinghouse Lamp Co. (1917-1919) and studied with Rutherford at the Cavendish Laboratory in Cambridge, England (1919). He taught physics at Washington University (1920-1923) and at University of Chicago (1923-1945) and served as Chancellor of Washington University from 1945-1953. From the guide to the Arthur Holly Compton notebooks, 1919-1941, 1919-1941, (American Philosophical Society) In 1920, Arthur Holly Co...

Calvin, Melvin, 1911-1997

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6gb25bx (person)

Kamen, Martin David, 1913-2002

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6vh8p2z (person)

Professor of biochemistry, University of California, San Diego. Professor at University of California, Berkeley in the late 1930s. From the description of Martin David Kamen papers : ms., [ca. 1937-1945]. (University of California, Berkeley). WorldCat record id: 122514517 Biochemist educated at the University of Chicago (B.A. 1933, Ph. D. 1936), co-discoverer of carbon-14, and prominent professor of biochemistry and researcher in photosynthesis, cytochromes, and...