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General Information
Description of Collection Biographical Note Scope and Contents of Collection Restrictions on Use and Access Selected Search Terms Organization and Arrangement of Collection Processing Information Preferred Citation of Collection Administrative InformationContainer List
Series I: Professional correspondence Series II: Other correspondence Series III: Manuscripts by Wood Series IV: Manuscripts about Wood Series V: Scrapbooks and clippingsRobert Williams Wood papers, 1838-1942
Description of Collection
Repository
American Institute of Physics. Niels Bohr Library & Archives.
Papers created by
Wood, Robert Williams, 1868-1955.
Size of collection
0.5 linear feet
1 manuscript box
Short description of collection
The papers of Robert W. Wood include clippings, professional and family correspondence, and manuscripts.
Language(s) of collection
English
French
German
Collection number:
AR118
Biographical Note
Physicist (optics, metals). On physics faculty at University of Wisconsin, 1897-1900; and Johns Hopkins University from 1901.
Scope and Contents of Collection
The papers of Robert W. Wood include clippings, professional and family correspondence, and manuscripts. Topics discussed include Vernon Wood's paper on sodium vapor delivered to the Royal Society; Wood's work at Johns Hopkins; H. Kayser's book; Wood’s interests in optics; various discussion of sodium vapor; the San Francisco earthquake; dipole radiation; origin of the hypotheses of energy; family travel in the Pacific Islands, Europe, and particularly Scotland; Wood’s early education in Roxbury, Massachusetts; Wood's election as Honorary Fellow of the Microscopical Society; the Encyclopedia Britannica and Scientific American. Manuscripts are by and about Wood and focus on his work in optics. Correspondents include: Charles Vernon Boys, Pierre Curie, Heinrich Kayser, Lord William Thomson Kelvin, Heinrich Konen, Ladislaus Natanson, Wilhelm Ostwald, Max Planck, and Lord John William Strutt Rayleigh.
Restrictions on Use and Access
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.
Persons
Boys, C. V. (Charles Vernon), 1855-1944.
Curie, Pierre, 1859-1906.
Kayser, H. (Heinrich), 1853-1940.
Kelvin, William Thomson, Baron, 1824-1907
Konen, Heinrich Mattias.
Natanson, Ladislaus.
Ostwald, Wilhelm, 1853-1932.
Planck, Max, 1858-1947.
Rayleigh, Robert John Strutt, Baron, 1875-1947
Wood, Robert Williams, 1868-1955
Subject terms
Optics.
Quantum theory.
Sodium.
Organization and Arrangement of Collection
This collection is organized into five series:
- Series I: Professional correspondence
- Series II: Other correspondence
- Series III: Manuscripts by Wood
- Series IV: Manuscripts about Wood
- Series V: Scrapbooks and clippings
Series I is arranged alphabetically by name of correspondent, and the other series are arranged chronologically.
Processing Information
This collection was processed by Melanie J. Mueller in 2012.
Preferred Citation of Collection
Box [number], Folder [number], Robert Williams Wood papers. American Institute of Physics, Niels Bohr Library & Archives, College Park, MD 20740, USA.
Administrative Information
Title
Finding Aid to the Robert Williams Wood papers, 1838-1942
Publisher
American Institute of Physics Niels Bohr Library & Archives
One Physics Ellipse
College Park, MD 20740
USA
nbl@aip.org
2012
Encoding Information
Machine-readable finding aid encoded by Melanie Mueller in 2012. Any revisions made to this finding aid occurred as part of the editing and encoding process.
Series I: Professional correspondence
| Box 1 | Folder 1 | Boys, Charles, 1901 |
| Folder 2 | Curie, Pierre, 1904 |
| Folder 3 | Kayser, Heinrich, 1903-1906 |
| Folder 4 | Kelvin, Lord, 1901-1904 |
| Folder 5 | Konen, Heinrich, 1906 |
| Folder 6 | Natanson, Ladislaus, 1906 |
| Folder 7 | Ostwald, Wilhelm, 1896 |
| Folder 8 | Planck, Max, 1904-1931 |
| Folder 9 | Lord Rayleigh, 1903-1906 |
| Folder 10 | Rifast, H. J., 1926 |
Series II: Other correspondence
| Box 1 | Folder 11 | Family correspondence - including Nathaniel Wilson, Jenny Wood and Charles B. Davis, 1838-1868 |
| Folder 12 | Micellaneous letters - including M. C. Collar, F. A. Christie, Richard Hebl (Royal Microscopical Society) and Rudolf Schoenfeld (Department of State), 1884-1938 |
Series III: Manuscripts by Wood
| Box 1 | Folder 13 | The purple gold of Tut-ankh-amen, 1932 |
| Folder 14 | Spectra of the meteor-like luminous jets from cavity charges, undated |
| Folder 15 | Scientific typescript on optics, undated |
Series IV: Manuscripts about Wood
| Box 1 | Folder 16 | Venice Congress on Radio Biology - account of Wood's attendance at the congress , undated |
| Folder 17 | Statement recommending Wood to receive the 1940 Draper Medal, undated |
| Folder 18 | Photocopies of folders 1 through 17, undated |
Series V: Scrapbooks and clippings
| Box 1 | Folder 19 | Scrapbook of clippings, 1888-1893, undated |
| Folder 20 | Scrapbook of clippings, 1899-1936 |
| Folder 21 | Clippings about Wood, 1913-1942, undated |
| Folder 22 | Imp in the laboratory - volume of clippings, 1939 |
| Folder 23 | Miscellaneous clippings, 1939, undated |