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General Information

Description of Collection Historical Note Scope and Contents of Collection Restrictions on Use and Access Selected Search Terms Organization and Arrangement of Collection Provenance and Acquisition Information Processing Information Preferred Citation of Collection Administrative Information

Container List

Series I: Correspondence Series II: Meetings Series III: Fundraising Series IV: Miscellaneous

American Institute of Physics Center for History of Physics Laser History Project records, 1981-1989.

Description of Collection

Repository

American Institute of Physics. Niels Bohr Library & Archives.

Papers created by

American Institute of Physics. Center for History of Physics. Laser History Project.

Size of collection

3 linear feet
(3 records boxes)

Short description of collection

This collection contains records created by the AIP Center for History of Physics, documenting the Laser History program. The bulk of this collection is comprised of correspondence, but also includes materials documenting fundraising efforts for the project and files saved from meetings of the Laser History Council and Advisory Committee.

Language(s) of collection

English

Collection number:

AR258

Historical Note

From 1983 to 1990, the AIP Center for History of Physics participated in a project to study the history of lasers in the United States, jointly sponsored by the American Physical Society, the Laser Institute of America (which administered the project in its early years), the Optical Society of America, and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). The project, under the direction of Joan Bromberg, with work by Robert W. Seidel on military applications, located source materials, taped interviews with over fifty scientists, and surveyed 300 laser specialists. Tapes and survey responses were deposited in the Niels Bohr Library. A book by Bromberg, The Laser in America (MIT Press, 1991), and several scholarly articles were also products of the project.

Scope and Contents of Collection

Project records include correspondence, meeting materials, fundraising information, and miscellaneous papers documenting the administrative aspects of the project. Correspondence is primarily to and from Joan Bromberg and offers a comprehensive view of her work as project director. Topics include selection of participants, scheduling of interviews, transcription of oral histories, coordination of Advisory Committee activities, research, and selection of a publisher for The Laser in America. Among the correspondents are: staff of the Laser Institute of America, Robert W. Seidel, and Joan Warnow and Spencer Weart of the American Institute of Physics. The collection also includes agendas, minutes, memos, mailings and reports relating to the workings of the project’s Advisory Committee and the Laser History Council. Fundraising materials include grant proposals and drafts, correspondence, reports and documentation of awards. Miscellaneous papers include general administrative materials related to the project and the publishing of The Laser in America, and some information regarding the declassification of Department of Defense information relayed in some of the oral history interviews.

Restrictions on Use and Access

Permission of an officer of depositing organization required for access to records less than 25 years old.

Researchers must have an approved access application on file in order to access archival materials. https://www.aip.org/history-programs/niels-bohr-library/item-request.

Selected Search Terms

These papers have been indexed in the International Catalog of Sources for History of Physics and Allied Sciences (ICOS) using the following terms. Those seeking related materials should search under these terms.

Organization and Arrangement of Collection

Organized into the following series:

Series I. Correspondence
Series II. Meetings
Series III. Fundraising
Series IV. Miscellaneous

Each series is arranged chronologically.

Provenance and Acquisition Information

Transferred to the archive by the American Institute of Physics, Office of the Director.

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Melanie J. Brown in May 2007.

Preferred Citation of Collection

Box [number], Folder [number], American Institute of Physics Center for History of Physics Laser History Project records, 1981-1989. American Institute of Physics, Niels Bohr Library & Archives, College Park, MD 20740, USA.

Administrative Information

Title

Finding Aid to the American Institute of Physics Center for History of Physics Laser History Project records, 1981-1989.

Publisher

American Institute of Physics Niels Bohr Library & Archives

One Physics Ellipse
College Park, MD 20740
USA
nbl@aip.org

2008

Encoding Information

Machine-readable finding aid encoded by Melanie J. Brown in May 2007. Any revisions made to this finding aid occurred as part of the editing and encoding process.

Series I: Correspondence

Subseries A: Alphabetical file

Box 1

Folder 1

Correspondence – A, B, C, 1982

Folder 2

Correspondence – D, E, F, 1982

Folder 3

Correspondence – G, H, I, 1982

Folder 4

Correspondence – J, K, L, 1982

Folder 5

Correspondence – M, N, O, 1982

Folder 6

Correspondence – P, Q, R, 1982

Folder 7

Correspondence – S, T, U, 1982

Folder 8

Correspondence – V, W, X, 1982

Folder 9

Correspondence – Y, Z, 1982

Folder 10

Correspondence – A, B, C, 1983

Folder 11

Correspondence – AIP, 1983

Folder 12

Correspondence – D, E, F, 1983

Folder 13

Correspondence – G, H, I, 1983

Folder 14

Correspondence – J, K, L, 1983

Folder 15

Correspondence – M, N, O, 1983

Folder 16

Correspondence – P, Q, R, 1983

Folder 17

Correspondence – S, T, U, 1983

Folder 18

Correspondence – V, W, X, 1983

Folder 19

Correspondence – Y, Z and miscellaneous, 1983

Folder 20

Correspondence – A, B, C, 1984

Folder 21

Correspondence – AIP, 1984

Folder 22

Correspondence – D, E, F, 1984

Folder 23

Correspondence – G, H, I, 1984

Folder 24

Correspondence – J, K, L, 1984

Folder 25

Correspondence – Lee, Haynes, 1984

Folder 26

Correspondence – Lee, Marge, 1984

Folder 27

Correspondence – M, N, O, 1984

Folder 28

Correspondence – P, Q, R, 1984

Folder 29

Correspondence – S, T, U, 1984

Folder 30

Correspondence – Seidel, Bob, 1984

Folder 31

Correspondence – V, W, X, Y, Z, 1984

Folder 32

Correspondence – A, B, C, 1985

Folder 33

Correspondence – AIP, 1985

Folder 34

Correspondence – D, E, F, 1985

Folder 35

Correspondence – G, H, I, 1985

Folder 36

Correspondence – J, K, L, 1985

Folder 37

Correspondence – Lee (Haynes and Marge), 1985

Folder 38

Correspondence – M, N, O, 1985

Folder 39

Correspondence – P, Q, R, 1985

Folder 40

Correspondence – S, T, U, 1985

Folder 41

Correspondence – Seidel, Bob, 1985

Folder 42

Correspondence – V, W, X, 1985

Folder 43

Correspondence – Y, Z, 1985

Folder 44

Correspondence – A, B, C, 1986

Folder 45

Correspondence – AIP, 1986

Folder 46

Correspondence – D, E, F, 1986

Folder 47

Correspondence – G, H, I, 1986

Folder 48

Correspondence – J, K, L, 1986

Folder 49

Correspondence – Lee (Haynes and Marge), 1986

Folder 50

Correspondence – M, N, O, 1986

Folder 51

Correspondence – P, Q, R, 1986

Folder 52

Correspondence – S, T, U, 1986

Folder 53

Correspondence – V, W, X, Y, Z, 1986

Folder 54

Correspondence – A, B, C, 1987

Folder 55

Correspondence – AIP, 1987

Folder 56

Correspondence – D, E, F, 1987

Folder 57

Correspondence – G, H, I, 1987

Folder 58

Correspondence – J, K, L, 1987

Folder 59

Correspondence – Lee (Haynes and Marge), 1987

Folder 60

Correspondence – M, N, O, 1987

Folder 61

Correspondence – P, Q, R, 1987

Folder 62

Correspondence – S, T, U, 1987

Folder 63

Correspondence – V, W, X, Y, Z, 1987

Folder 64

Correspondence – A, B, C, 1988

Folder 65

Correspondence – AIP, 1988

Folder 66

Correspondence – D, E, F, 1988

Folder 67

Correspondence – G, H, I, 1988

Folder 68

Correspondence – J, K, L, 1988

Folder 69

Correspondence – Lee (Haynes and Marge), 1988

Box 2

Folder 1

Correspondence – M, N, O, 1988

Folder 2

Correspondence – P, Q, R, 1988

Folder 3

Correspondence – S, T, U, 1988

Folder 4

Correspondence – V, W, X, Y, Z, 1988

Subseries B: Subject file

Box 2

Folder 5

Correspondence – news and updates (1 of 4), 1981-1986; undated

Folder 6

Correspondence – news and updates (2 of 4), 1981-1986; undated

Folder 7

Correspondence – news and updates (3 of 4), 1981-1986; undated

Folder 8

Correspondence – news and updates (4 of 4), 1981-1986; undated

Folder 9

Correspondence – research affiliations, 1982-1988

Folder 10

Correspondence – general, 1982-1989

Folder 11

Correspondence – survey, 1983-1989

Folder 12

Correspondence – repositories, 1983-1989

Folder 13

Correspondence – project progress report, 1984-1985

Folder 14

Correspondence – information on laser papers, 1984-1988

Folder 15

Correspondence – fundraising, 1985-1986

Folder 16

Correspondence – medical application of lasers, oral histories, 1985-1986

Folder 17

Correspondence – libraries of deposit, 1986

Folder 18

Correspondence – preservation survey, 1985-1986

Folder 19

Correspondence – laser history catalog, 1986-1987

Folder 20

Correspondence – permission requests, 1986-1988

Folder 21

Correspondence – publishing, 1987-1988

Folder 22

Correspondence – Bromberg, survey info, 1987-1989

Series II: Meetings

Box 2

Folder 23

Advisory Committee – first meeting, 1982

Folder 24

Laser History Council meeting, November, 1983

Folder 25

Laser History Council – recruiting, 1983

Folder 26

Advisory Committee updates, 1983-1986

Folder 27

Laser History Council meeting files, June, 1984

Folder 28

Advisory Committee updates, 1984

Folder 29

Advisory Committee meeting, June, 1984

Folder 30

Advisory Committee and Laser History Council meeting, 1985

Box 3

Folder 1

Advisory Committee and Laser History Council meeting, April, 1985

Folder 2

Advisory Committee meeting, November, 1985

Folder 3

Advisory Committee meeting, 1986

Folder 4

Advisory Committee meeting, May, 1986

Folder 5

Laser History Council meetings, 1986-1987

Folder 6

Advisory Committee meeting, April, 1987

Folder 7

Advisory Committee meeting, November, 1988

Folder 8

Advisory Committee meeting, June, 1989

Series III: Fundraising

Box 3

Folder 9

NSF grant – proposal #1, 1982

Folder 10

NSF correspondence, 1982-1984

Folder 11

NSF grant – proposal #2, 1983

Folder 12

NSF grant – report for #2, 1984-1985

Folder 13

NEH grant – proposal and correspondence, 1984-1988

Folder 14

NSF grant – proposal #3, 1985

Folder 15

Grant proposals, 1985

Folder 16

Fundraising status, 1985

Folder 17

NSF award, 1986

Folder 18

Sloan Foundation grant, 1987-1989

Series IV: Miscellaneous

Box 3

Folder 19

Laser history project book draft, [undated]

Folder 20

Survey subjects – list, [undated]

Folder 21

Laser brochure – draft, [undated]

Folder 22

Tax exemption file, 1981-1988

Folder 23

Proposal to member societies, 1982

Folder 24

Survey mailing, 1983

Folder 25

AAAS symposium, 1985

Folder 26

Bromberg’s institutional contacts, 1985; undated

Folder 27

Preservation survey, 1985-1986

Folder 28

Unpublished materials, 1985-1987

Folder 29

Department of Defense – contracts and proposals, 1985-1988

Folder 30

Department of Defense – declassification review, 1986-1987

Folder 31

Publishing – editors, 1987

Folder 32

Survey subject list – with Klein additions, 1987

Folder 33

Survey – sample, 1987

Folder 34

IEEE survey lists, 1987

Folder 35

Publishing – suggestions for readers, 1988

Folder 36

IEEE laser survey, 1988

Folder 37

Laser history project – final report, 1988

Folder 38

Survey – responses list, 1988

Folder 39

Article – “The Birth of the Laser”, 1988

Folder 40

Project presentation, 1988

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Table of Contents

General Information

Container List

American Institute of Physics Center for History of Physics Laser History Project records, 1981-1989.

Repository

Papers created by

Size of collection

Short description of collection

Language(s) of collection

Collection number:

Persons

Institutions

Subject terms

Title

Publisher

Encoding Information

Subseries A: Alphabetical file

Subseries B: Subject file