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2020-05-28T19:26:49.000Z

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edanmdm:yt_h8FMDb8Xj0U

Creator:

Kemmer, Frank  Search this

Former owner:

National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Engineering and Industry  Search this

Extent:

0.33 Cubic feet (1 box)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Photographs

Photograph albums

Place:

Yadkin River (N.C.)

North Carolina

Date:

1916-1917

Summary:

Photograph album showing all aspects of construction of the Narrows Dam on the Yadkin River in North Carolina.

Scope and Contents:

The collection consists of one album containing 101 photographs documenting the hydroelectric project and construction of the Narrows Dam on the Yadkin River near Badin, North Carolina. Frank Kemmer took the photographs from December 30, 1916 through April 25, 1917. Images include the trusses, piers, cranes and other equipment.

Arrangement:

This collection is arranged in one series.

Series 1, Photograph Album, 1916-1917

Biographical / Historical:

Narrows Dam is located on the Yadkin River, one of the largest rivers in North Carolina. The dam and its hydroelectric station was constructed by the Aluminum Company of America (Alcoa), to supply power for an aluminum production plant nearby.

Related Materials:

Other Archives Center collections relating to dams and hydroelectric power plants include Robert F. Olds Collection and John L. Savage Collection.

Separated Materials:

Four lantern slides of electric furnace operation were placed in the Division of Work and Industry Lantern Slide Collection (NMAH.AC.1013)and received no numbers.

Provenance:

The collection was donated to the Department of the History of Science and Technology, Division of Engineering and Industry by Frank Kemmer's granddaughter, Anne Wheelock, in 1990. It was transferred to the Archives Center in 2007.

Restrictions:

Collection is open for research but is stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.

Rights:

Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Topic:

Rivers -- North Carolina  Search this

Dams -- North Carolina  Search this

Genre/Form:

Photographs -- 1910-1920

Photograph albums -- 20th century

Citation:

Narrows Dam (Yadkin River, North Carolina) Photograph Album, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution

Identifier:

NMAH.AC.1041

See more items in:

Narrows Dam (Yadkin River, North Carolina) Photograph Album

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep8051547b7-8936-4617-86db-87eb3712ea04

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-1041

Creator:

Hunt, Mary Alice Minear  Search this

Hunt, George Laird  Search this

Fishbaugh, William Arthur  Search this

Minear, A. Bruce  Search this

Former owner:

National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Engineering and Industry  Search this

Extent:

0.15 Cubic feet (1 box)

Container:

Box 1

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Photographs

Photograph albums

Place:

Panama Canal (Panama)

Panama -- 1900-1910

Date:

1905-1908.

Summary:

Photograph album of commercially-produced photographs of Panama Canal construction.

Scope and Contents note:

This collection consists of a photograph album of one hyndred commercially produced views of Panama Canal construction. Also included are some views of life in the Canal Zone, including hospitals, villages, street scenes, jungles, cemeteries, animal life, and bullfights. The album was assembled by A. Bruce Minear, who was sent to Panama by President Theodore Roosevelt to develop the YMCA for the men working on the canal. Most photographs are captioned.

Arrangement:

This collection is arranged in one series.

Series 1, Photograph Album, 1905-1907

Historical:

On November 18, 1903, the United States and Panama negotiated the Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty, which granted the United States permission to construct a canal that would join the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Construction for the Panama Canal began on May 4, 1904. The large workforce (at its highest population in 1913 it numbered 44,733 men, not including those sick, on leave, or otherwise absent) had a great impact on Panama. As there were not enough amenities to accommodate them when they arrived, they built entire communities, paved streets, improved communication systems, and installed water and sewage systems. Likewise, the railroad was improved for more efficient transportation of supplies, labor, food, and equipment. Much to the credit of Chief Sanitary Officer Dr. William Crawford Gorgas, yellow fever was completely eradicated on the Isthmus and malaria cases greatly reduced. Native villages and towns along the planned construction route were required to relocate.

The first self-propelled, ocean-bound vessel traveled on the canal on January 7, 1914, and the canal was formally opened in August of that year. The Panama Canal construction project was the most expensive construction project in United States history to that date, costing $375,000,000.

Related Materials:

Materials in the Archives Center

W. P. Stine Panama Canal Papers (NMAH.AC.1039)

John Frances Little Panama Canal Scrapbook Photograph Albums (NMAH.AC.0708)

Katherine Kingsford Panama Canal Photograph Album (NMAH.AC.1040)

A.R. Van Tassell Photograph Albums (NMAH.AC.1015)

Provenance:

This collection was donated to the National Museum of American History's Division of the History of Science and Technology, Engineering and Industry Collections by Mary Alice Minear Hunt and George Laird Hunt, 1987.

Restrictions:

Collection is open for research but is stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.

Rights:

Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Topic:

Villages -- Panama  Search this

Streets -- Panama  Search this

Hospitals -- Panama  Search this

Jungles -- Panama  Search this

Animals -- Panama  Search this

Bullfights  Search this

Canals -- Panama  Search this

Cemeteries -- Panama  Search this

Genre/Form:

Photographs -- 1900-1910

Photograph albums -- 20th century

Citation:

W.A. Fishbaugh Panama Canal Photograph Album, 1905-1908, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.

Identifier:

NMAH.AC.1021

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep89f31081a-f85f-4f90-a28f-4c4db92b7093

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-1021

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Creator:

National Air and Space Museum  Search this

Type:

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Uploaded:

2015-08-13T14:11:13.000Z

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Topic:

Aeronautics;Flight;Space Sciences  Search this

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Data Source:

National Air and Space Museum

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EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:yt_v4GO6GRi1T4

Author:

Society for the History of Technology  Search this

Kranzberg, Melvin, Dr., 1917-1995  Search this

Names:

American Association for the Advancement of Science  Search this

American Council of Learned Societies  Search this

National Science Foundation  Search this

Extent:

353 Cubic feet (378 boxes)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Business records

Newsletters

Correspondence

Photographs

Floppy disks

Date:

1956-2017

Summary:

The Society for the History of Technology Records (SHOT) consists of documents relating to SHOT from its inception in 1958- [0ngoing]. The collection is divided into two subgroups: Subgroup I, General Records, 1956-2009 which consist of papers generated and received by Melvin Kranzberg in his various roles as an officer of SHOT, as well as papers of other SHOT officers. Subgroup II,Technology and Culture Records, 1958-2009, consists of documents relating to the Society's journal, Technology and Culture. T & C is a quarterly publication containing articles of interest to and written by historians and students of technology.

The records consist of material generated by Melvin Kranzberg in his role as founding editor-in-chief (1959-1981), first at Case Western Reserve and later at Georgia Institute of Technology, and was succeeded at the National Museum of American History by Robert Post (1981-1996) whose editorial assistants were Brooke Hindle, Helena Wright, Jeffrey Stine, Art Molella and Joan Mentzer. When the museum ended its support of the journal, it moved to the Henry Ford under the editorship of John Staudenmaier (1996-2010) and after that to the University of Oklahoma under the editorship of Suzanne Moon (2010-2020).

Scope and Contents:

The collection is divided into two subgroups: Subgroup I, General Records, 1956-2009 which consist of papers generated and received by Melvin Kranzberg in his various roles as an officer of SHOT, as well as papers of other SHOT officers. Subgroup II,Technology and Culture Records, 1958-2009, consists of documents relating to the Society's journal, Technology and Culture. T & C is a quarterly publication containing articles of interest to and written by historians and students of technology. The records consist of material generated by Melvin Kranzberg in his role as editor-in-chief, 1959-1981 and by succeeding T&C editors. The Melvin Kranzberg Papers (AC0266) consist of the personal papers of Dr. Kranzberg from his undergraduate years at Amherst College through his professional career. The collection documents his involvement with development of the new field of history of technology and his role as principal founder of the Society for the History of Technology (SHOT); work as consultant and advisor to domestic and international agencies, colleges, and universities; personal affiliations, lectureships, publications; and teaching and administrative activities for more than forty years as a college professor.

Subgroup I: General Records, 1956-2009, consists of documents relating to SHOT from its inception in 1958 to 2009, papers generated and received by Melvin Kranzberg in his various roles as an officer of SHOT, as well as papers of other SHOT officers.

The General Records are divided into ten series based on the functions of this professional organization of scholars interested in the history of technology. Series one through three document committees and officers and their correspondence regarding day-to-day activities of the Society. Financial records and preparation for annual membership meetings and other more specialized meetings comprise other series. Newsletters and brochures describing SHOT's activities and the records of SHOT's relationships with other professional associations (such as the American Association for the Advancement of Science) complete the General Records.

Series 1: Organizational Records, 1956-1984, consists of materials documenting organizing work, including membership, officers, finances, publicity and drafting of a constitution for SHOT. Included are minutes of meetings to accomplish these purposes as well as for the first general membership meeting held in December, 1958. Papers incorporating SHOT and a history of the organization as of 1976 are included. These records are organized into three categories: the initial conceptualization and creation of SHOT; support activities in the early period; the constitution and history of SHOT. The material is arranged chronologically.

Series 2: Records Of Councils, Committees, and Other Groups, 1959-1989, consists of the records of SHOT councils, committees and other organizational groups. The Executive Council consists of nine elected voting members in addition to the officers of the Society, past presidents of the Society, and the editor-in-chief of the Society's journal. The Executive Council directs the affairs of the Society. In order to reflect the composition of the Society as an interdisciplinary organization which draws from both academe and the factory and industrial laboratory, the Executive Council has been made up of a combination of academicians and practicing engineers and industrialists.

Subseries 2.2a: Executive Council, 1959-1963; 1968; 1975-1978; 1983-1987, contain memoranda to the Executive Council from Melvin Kranzberg, Secretary, 1959-1974; correspondence to and from Secretary Carroll Pursell, 1975-1978; reports; minutes; and other memoranda regarding the SHOT Brochure and Museum Exhibit Awards Program. In addition, Series 5 contains the minutes of many Executive Council meetings, 1958-1992.

Subseries 2.2b: Advisory Council, 1960-1961, is composed of SHOT members selected on the basis of their distinquished scholarship or eminent service to the development of technological studies. The Advisory Council is consulted from time to time regarding the affairs of the Society. These records contain memoranda to the Advisory Council requesting advice, and a list and addresses of Council members as of March, 1961.

The Subseries 2.2c: Nominating Committee,1961-1984, is composed of three Society members appointed by the president; they serve for three years in rotation, one member being added and one retiring each year. Their duties are to nominate persons for the various offices, Executive Council, and the Advisory Council. In addition they make nominations to the Executive Council of candidates for corresponding membership. These records contain correspondence among Society officers, members and potential members of the Nominating Committee; memoranda to the Nominating Committee regarding the work of the committee; lists of officers and council members of the Society; and nominations and ballots.

The Subseries 2.2d: Editorial Committee,1980-1987, is chosen by members of the Executive Council and generally oversees and has ultimate responsibility for the Society's journal, Technology and Culture. The editor-in-chief of the journal is the chairman of the Editorial Committee. The records contain correspondence of the committee; annual reports of the committee; memoranda; and the editor's reports.

The Subseries 2.2e: Documents Committee,1961-1970; 1979-1985 mission was to monitor the preservation of important documents and archival materials that are or may be of value to historians of technology. A primary function is the encouragement of the maintenance and preservation of scientific and technological archives. These records contain correspondence to and from the chairman of the committee, Mel Kranzberg, and others regarding the committee's work and status.

The Subseries 2.2f: Program Committee, 1959; 1961; 1968; 1971; 1983-1984, has charge of arrangements for SHOT's annual meetings, any special meetings of the Society, and any other programs sponsored by the Society. For example, the committee has the responsibility of organizing SHOT sessions at annual meetings of the American Historical Association and the American Association for the Advancement of Science and History of Science Society, among others. These records contain correspondence and memoranda among members of the committee--and with Kranzberg--regarding program sessions and participants at various meetings and other committee business and priorities; the program of the SHOT 1983 annual meeting; and various program reports, 1959-1985.

Subseries 2.2g: Other Committees, 1961-1987, consist of correspondence and memoranda regarding the myriad aspects of various small SHOT committees' work. Among the committees are: Fellowship Committee; Aims and Goals Committee; Industrial Archeology Committee; Electricity and Electronics Archives Committee; Bicentennial Committee; SHOT Research Committee; Technical Studies Committee; Museum Committee; Monograph Committee; Ad Hoc Committee on Library Services; Technical Studies and Educational Committee; Sites Committee; the Endowment Committee; and the Bibliographic Committee, which was organized to prepare an annual list of books and articles with critical comments or references to reviews when available. The bibliography is published annually in Technology and Culture. An analytical index is prepared annually to accompany the bibliography.

Subseries 2.2h: Officers and Committee Appointments, 1963;1966; 1970-1977; 19080; 1982, contains lists of SHOT committee officers, as well as correspondence and memoranda regarding committee and SHOT officers' appointments and acceptances.

Since SHOT's inception in 1958, members have formed special interest groups (SIGs) for the purpose of bringing together scholars and professionals with interests in specific fields of the history of technology.

Subseries 2.2i: Special Interest Groups, 1961-1988, material includes correspondence, memoranda, newsletters, directories, reports of chairmen, and articles of various special interest groups. These special interest groups are composed of SHOT members who have a common interest, e.g., women's roles in technological history and military technology.

The Subseries 2.2j: Awards Committee (Committee on Honors), 1961-1988, was an advisory committee created to establish conditions and to recommend recipients for various SHOT medals and awards, such as the Usher, Dexter and da Vinci. The power to confer the awards rests with the Executive Council of SHOT. The committee is also responsible for developing citations for the medals and carrying out the nomination process for awards. These records contain correspondence between committee members and Kranzberg regarding awards to recipients, vitae of award recipients, and edited copies of the "awards/honors section" of Technology and Culture.

The Subseries 2.2k: Leonardo da Vinci Medal, 1966-1986, is the Society's highest honor, presented to an individual who has greatly contributed to the history of technology through research, teaching, publications, and other activities. This material consists mostly of correspondence among officers of SHOT and the medal recipients. Also included is biographical material on three recipients of the medal. Photographs of the medal are also included.

The Subseries 2.2l: Dexter Prize, sponsored by the Dexter Chemical Corporation of New York City, is an annual prize of $1,000 dollars for the best book on the history of technology. This material is mainly correspondence regarding the establishment of the prize, development of the plaque, correspondence to and from the recipients, a photo of one recipient, and original illustrations of the plaque.

The Subseries 2.2m: Robinson Prize, 1968-1987, was established by the Executive Council and is awarded annually. It consists of a certificate and a check for $150 dollars for the best paper presented at a SHOT annual meeting by a person under thirty years of age. The material includes correspondence and memoranda regarding this prize. In addition, copies of many submission papers are included.

The Subseries 2.2n: Levinson Prize, 1984-1986, is awarded for an author's first manuscript intended for publication. There is a cash award of $250 dollars and an appropriate plaque. Included is correspondence to and from SHOT officers regarding the establishment and the awarding of this prize.

Subseries 2o: Miscellaneous Awards, 1984-1986, consists of correspondence and memoranda related to various small awards and prizes, including the Usher prize, a special certification award for meritorious work not covered by established prizes, and the IEEE Life Member's Prize in Electrical History, administered by SHOT.

Series 3: Correspondence, 1963-1988, contains correspondence of SHOT officers and is divided into three subseries: general correspondence, correspondence of SHOT presidents, and correspondence dealing with particularly important subjects. The general correspondence deals with routine administrative matters from 1966-1988. The presidential letters and the letters to which they reply relate to the official responsibilities of the SHOT president 1978-1986. The final category contains correspondence, 1975-1985, on subjects such as preparations for commemoration of the 500th anniversary of Columbus' voyage and the offer of the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History to be the repository for the records of SHOT.

Series 4: Financial Records (Budget), 1959-1993, consists of financial statements and bank records, 1960-1993, including reports of SHOT treasurers to the membership and to appropriate committees regarding SHOT finances, as well as bank statements, check stubs, and other records of transactions and investments. Copies of required reports to the Internal Revenue Service, 1960-1991 are filed separately as is the general correspondence of SHOT Treasurers, 1985-1991. Financial reports on individual SHOT Meetings, 1976-1993 consititute a final category.

Series 5: Meetings, 1958-1992, contains minutes of the Executive Council and annual general membership meetings, as well as records of preparatory work for annual meetings of SHOT, and is arranged chronologically. Records of other membership meetings concerned with particular subjects are listed separately. Correspondence relating to a conference on "Critical Issues in the History of Technology" organized by SHOT in Roanoke, Virginia in 1978, is also included.

Series 6: Secretary's Membership Records, 1958-1984, consists of reports and correspondence to and from officers and members of SHOT, and is arranged chronologically. Included are inquiries from prospective members, responses by the SHOT secretary, statistics of membership, questionnaires, and invitations to join SHOT.

Series 7: Newsletter, 1958-1997, contains the SHOT newsletter and records of its publication and is arranged chronologically for 1977-1989. Materials for the years preceding 1977 include the actual newsletters for 1958-1964, arranged chronologically, and the rough draft of the 1960 newsletter. Series 9 contains additional copies of the SHOT newsletter.

Series 8: Publication of Monographs, 1961-1984, contains correspondence and committee meeting minutes relating to editorial review, printing problems and royalties. These are arranged by subject.

Series 9: SHOT Professional Relations with Other Organizations, 1964-1988, consists of materials documenting SHOT's numerous official contacts with other professional societies, including joint meetings, correspondence, and minutes. These records are arranged chronologically. Papers relating to the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Council of Learned Societies are grouped separately.

Series 10, Officers Files, 1958-2009, contains materials submitted periodically by former officers of SHOT, beginning in the mid-1980s. Included are documents relating to their administrative functions, as well as their correspondence conducted while in office. Received material which obviously fits into the body of the collections has been so incorporated, in the order of their donation.

Subgroup II: Technology and Culture Records, 1958-1995, consists of documents relating to the Society's journal, Technology and Culture. T & C is a quarterly publication containing articles of interest to and written by historians and students of technology. The records consist of material generated by Melvin Kranzberg in his role as editor-in-chief, 1959-1981 and by succeeding T&C editors.

The papers are divided into ten subseries according to the editorial and other activities involved in producing T & C. In addition to the Organizational Records, 1958-1962, the Technology and Culture records include book reviews, editorial reviews of articles, indexes and tables of contents, printing (by the University of Chicago Press), costs, promotions, and special projects.

Series 1: Organizational Records, 1958-1962 , contains correspondence, minutes of meetings and memoranda relating to the creation of the quarterly journal, T&C, and its first issue. the series includes records of a membership poll to choose the journal's name. A speech by Melvin Kranzberg in 1981 entitled "Quirks and Jerks of Editing Technology and Culture" outlines the early considerations in publication and later editorial problems.

Series 2: Correspondence, 1965-1988, is restricted and contains articles and reviews of articles submitted to T&C for publication. This material is arranged alphabetically by correspondent. The folder dates represent the dates of all the correspondence in the folder. The older date usually represents the date when the correspondence was initiated regarding the submission of an article to T&C. However, the latest date does not always represent correspondence regarding a submission to T&C, since Kranzberg sometimes included general correspondence in the folders.

All articles went through a refereeing process, during which referees wrote recommendations, either for or against publication. These judges wrote their recommendations with the understanding that their identities and their evaluations would remain confidential. In order to maintain the confidentiality of all parties, this separate correspondence series and the confidential referee reviews have been restricted for thirty years from the most recent date of the correspondence. Exceptions will be made if written permission is obtained from SHOT's Editorial Board.The majority of folders contain correspondence between Kranzberg and the referees about articles, but not the articles themselves. The judges' recommendations contain a great deal of information. Some papers were revised two, three, or more times in preparation for publication and referees' reports follow each revision.

Series 3: Book Reviews, 1969-1995, consists of drafts of reviews which appeared inT&C with correspondence relating to those reviews. The material is arranged chronologically according to theT&C issue in which they appeared.

Series 4: Editorial Review of Articles, 1960-1993, consists of drafts of articles considered for publication and other editorial material, for example, exhibit reviews, communications, notes and announcements, correspondence (with authors and reviewers; the latter included comments on the draft articles) and email printouts. The material is arranged alphabetically by name of author and is restricted. Judges wrote their recommendations with the understanding that their identities and their evaluations, would remain confidential. In order to maintain the confidentiality of all parties, this series and the confidential referee reviews have been restricted for thirty years from the most recent date of the correspondence. Exceptions will be made if written permission is obtained from SHOT's Editorial Board.

Series 5: Indexes (Cumulative) and Tables of Contents, 1965-1987 (Boxes 54-56), contains tables of contents of each quarterly edition of T&C, 1965-1981, together with cumulative indexes through 1987.

Series 6: Technology and Culture Printing and Costs, 1959-1994, consists of correspondence with printers of the T&C quarterly journal (primarily the University of Chicago Press), including instructions for printing and negotiation of costs. Also included are arrangements for reprints, cover designs and membership lists. Correspondence relating to campaigns to promote sales of T&C and annual reports of revenues and costs is arranged chronologically.

Series 7: Special Projects, 1962-1986, includes materials documenting miscellaneous projects related to T&C and its editing and publication, and is arranged chronologically.

Series 8: Technology and Culture Editor, 1982-1995, consists of records of the editor documenting the functions of soliciting, reviewing, refereeing and giving final approval for articles and book reviews appearing in T&C. Correspondence with members of SHOT and others is arranged alphabetically. Letters relate to proposed articles and comments on them, as well as other subjects. Also included is correspondence relating to Post's own publications, exhibits, and public presentations, assessments of grant applications, records of his involvement in the affairs of the National Museum of American History and other museums, and correspondence with other periodicals with which he was editorially involved, such as Invention and Technology and Railroad History.

Series 9: Published Files, 1982-1994,contains edited typescript (as submitted to publisher) for articles, research notes, conference reports, organizational notes, reviews, obituaries, and all other material published in Technology and Culture for one calendar year. Correspondence with authors, advisory editors, referees (between two and five for each article), and editorial and production staff of the University of Chicago Press is also included. The materials are arranged chronologically by year. These files are closed for thirty years from the date of the last correspondence in the individual folder. They may be opened, on a case-by-case basis, through appeal to the SHOT Editorial Committee.

Series 10: Office Business Files, 1983-2007, consists of files from the Technology and Culture offices. Many of the files relate to the journal's redesign, editors, and search for a university press to publish the journal.

Arrangement:

The collection is divided into two subgroups.

Subgroup I: General Records, 1956-2009

Subgroup II:Technology and Culture Records, 1958-2010

Subgroup I: General Records, 1956-2009

Series 1: Organizational Records, 1956-1984

Subseries 1.1a: Conceptualization and Creation of SHOT, 1956-1959

Subseries 1.1b: Support Activities, 1958-1972

Subseries 1.1c: Constitution and History of SHOT, 1958-1976

Series 2: Records of Councils, Committees, and Other Groups, 1959-1989

Subseries 2.2a: Executive Council: 1959-1963; 1968; 1975-1978; 1983-1987

Subseries 2.2b: Advisory Council, 1960-1961

Subseries 2.2c: Nominating Committee, 1961-1984

Subseries 2.2d: Editorial Committee, 1980-1987

Subseries 2.2e: Documents Committee, 1961-1970; 1979-1985

Subseries 2.2f: Program Committee, 1959; 1961; 1968; 1971; 1983-1984

Subseries 2.2g: Other Committees, 1961-1987

Subseries 2.2h: Officers and Committee Appointments, 1963;1966; 1970-1977; 19080; 1982

Subseries 2.2i: Special Interest Groups, 1961-1988

Subseries 2.2j: Awards Committee (Committee on Honors), 1961-1988

Subseries 2.2k: Leonardo da Vinci Medal, 1966-1986

Subseries 2.2l: Dexter Prize, 1968-1987

Subseries 2.2m: Robinson Prize (Joseph J. Corn, Chair), 1979-1989

Subseries 2.2n: Levinson Prize, 1984-1986

Subseries 2.2o: Miscellaneous Awards, 1984-1986

Series 3: Correspondence, 1963-1988

Subseries 3.3a: General, 1963-1988

Subseries 3.3b: President's, 1977-1986

Subseries 3.3c: Other, 1975-19853a. General, 1963-1988

Series 4: Financial Records (Budget), 1959-1993

Subseries 4a: General, 1959-1991

Subseries 4b: Treasurer's Reports to the Internal Revenue Service, 1959-1991

Subseries 4c: Treasurer's Correspondence, 1962-1991

Subseries 4d: Meetings (Financial Records), 1973-1993

Series 5: Meetings, 1958-1992

Subseries 5.5a: Annual, 1958-1992

Subseries 5.5b: Other, 1965-1982

Series 6: Secretary's Membership Records, 1958-1984

Series 7, Newsletter, 1958-1997

Series 8: Publication of Monographs, 1961-1984

Series 9: SHOT Professional Relations with Other Organizations, 1964-1988

Subseries 9.9a: AAAS (American Association for the Advancement of Science), 1966-1985

Subseries 9.9b: ACLS (American Council of Learned Societies), 1973-1985

Subseries 9.9c: Other Professional Affiliations, 1968-1986

Series 10: Officers' Files, 1958-2009

Subseries 10.10a: John B. Rae Files, 1958-1988

Subseries 10.10b: Bruce Seely Files, 1984-1995

Subseries 10.10c: Alex Roland Files, 1986-1996

Subseries 10.10d: Russell I. Fries Files, 1991-1993

Subseries 10.10e: James C. Williams Files, 1993-1998

Subseries 10.10f: Susan Smulyan Files, 1986-1994

Subseries 10.10g: Ruth Schwartz Cowan Files, 1991-1994

Subseries 10.10h: Molly Berger Files, 1976-2001

Subseries 10.10i: William Leslie Files, 1989-2003

Subseries 10.10j: Terry Reynolds Files, 1993-2002

Subseries 10.10k: Joyce Bedi Files, 1984-2009

Subseries 10.10l: Carroll Pursell Files, 1965-2004

Subgroup II:Technology and Culture Records, 1958-2012

Series 1: Organizational Records, 1958-1962

Series 2: Correspondence, 1965-1988

Series 3: Book Reviews, 1969-1995

Series 4: Editorial Review of Articles, 1960-1993

Series 5: Indexes (cumulative and tables of contents), 1965-1987

Series 6:Technology and Culture, 1959-1994

Series 7, Special Projects, 1962-1986

Series 8, Technology and Culture Editor, 1982-2010

Series 9: Published Files, 1982-1994

Series 10: Office Business Files, 1983-2007

Series 11:Technology and Culture (journal), 1992, 1994, 2005-2012

Biographical / Historical:

The Society for the History of Technology (SHOT) was formed in 1958 to encourage the study of the development of technology and its relations with politics, economics, labor, business, the environment, public policy, science, and the arts. The Society is incorporated in the State of Ohio as a nonprofit educational organization. Membership is international, open to individuals, organizations, corporations, and institutions interested in the purposes and activities of the Society. An international society, SHOT meets annually in North America or Europe and also sponsors smaller conferences focused on specialized topics, often jointly with other scholarly societies and organizations. The Society's quarterly journal, Technology and Culture, is published by the Johns Hopkins University Press (http://www.techculture.org/). In addition to Technology and Culture, SHOT publishes a quarterly newsletter and, jointly with the American Historical Association, a booklet series, Historical Perspectives on Technology, Society, and Culture.

Melvin Kranzberg was the driving force behind the organization of SHOT. He chaired its Executive Council, 1958-1959, and also served as secretary of the organization, 1959-1974; vice president, 1981-1982; president, 1983-1984; and chairman of the editorial committee, 1985-1988. From 1959 to 1981, he was editor-in-chief of SHOT's quarterly journal, Technology and Culture (T&C). In addition to his long, intimate involvement with SHOT, Kranzberg, as a professor at Case Institute of Technology and Georgia Institute of Technology, 1952-1988, was deeply engaged in studying aspects of technological development over the course of human history. Kranzberg participated in many scholarly committees and other organizations, both domestic and international. He also contributed to governmental commissions and international bodies. His correspondence, speeches and published articles constitute the Melvin Kranzberg Papers, 1934-1988 (AC0266), in the National Museum of American History's Archives Center.

The Archives Center was officially designated the respository for the SHOT records and the editorial records of Technology and Culture in October 1994.

Related Materials:

Material in the Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Melvin Kranzberg Papers (AC0266)

Personal papers of Dr. Kranzberg from his undergraduate years at Amherst College through his professional career. Collection documents his involvement with development of the new field of history of technology and his role as principal founder of the Society for the History of Technology (SHOT); work as consultant and advisor to domestic and international agencies, colleges, and universities; personal affiliations, lectureships, publications; and teaching and administrative activities for more than forty years as a college professor.

S. Colum Gilfillan Papers (AC0461)

Gilfillan was a charter member of SHOT in 1958. The papers include correspondence with Melvin Kranzberg concerning articles that he published in SHOT's journal, Technology and Culture.

Materials in Smithsonian Institution Archives

Brooke Hindle Papers, 1944-1985 (RU 7363)

These papers document Hindle's teaching career; his tenure as an academic dean, historian, and professor of science and technology at New York University; his service as president of SHOT; and, to a lesser extent, his years as director of the National Museum of the History of Technology (NMHT). Papers consist of correspondence and memoranda with historical, scientific, and technological institutes and societies concerning research; correspondence and memoranda with prominent historians of science and technology, particularly Carl Bridenbaugh, Whitfield J. Bell, and A. Hunter Dupree; historical research proposals, manuscripts, publications, index cards, and related material; biographical information; slides and photographs of scientific illustrations and portraits of historic American figures; files concerning his presidency of SHOT and as a member of various visiting committees to review academic programs in the history of science and technology; and copies of course materials prepared during his teaching career at New York University.

Provenance:

Dr. Melvin Kranzberg donated the collection on August 29, 1988.

Restrictions:

Collection is open for research but is stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.

Subgroup II: Technology and Culture Records

Series 2: Correspondence, 1965-1988

Files are restricted for thirty years from the most recent date of the correspondence. They may be opened, on a case-by-case basis, through appeal to the SHOT Editorial Committee.

Series 4: Editorial Review of Articles, 1960-1993

Files are restricted for thirty years from the most recent date of the review. They may be opened, on a case-by-case basis, through appeal to the SHOT Editorial Committee.

Series 9: Published Files, 1982-1994

Files are restricted for thirty years from the date of the last correspondence in the individual folder. They may be opened, on a case-by-case basis, through appeal to the SHOT Editorial Committee.

Rights:

Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning intellectual property rights. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees apply when requesting reproductions.

Topic:

Technology  Search this

Genre/Form:

Business records -- 1950-2000

Newsletters -- 21st century

Correspondence -- 1940-2000

Photographs -- Phototransparencies -- 1950-2000

Newsletters -- 20th century

Correspondence -- 2000-2010

Floppy disks

Citation:

Society for the History of Technology Records, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution

Identifier:

NMAH.AC.0400

See more items in:

Society for the History of Technology Records

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep8219ae1e0-46cd-4bdd-9f90-8bdc4b36adef

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-0400

Author:

Gingerich, Owen  Search this

Gaskell, Roger  Search this

Subject:

Dibner, Bern  Search this

Dibner Library  Search this

Physical description:

xvi, 48 p. : ill., facsims., ports. ; 23 cm

Type:

Early works to 1800

Place:

Washington (D.C.)

Date:

2001

C2001

Topic:

Libraries--Special collections--Science  Search this

Scientific literature--Collectors and collecting  Search this

Data Source:

Smithsonian Libraries

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:siris_sil_681252

Maker:

Digital Equipment Corporation  Search this

Physical Description:

plastic (overall material)

metal (overall material)

Measurements:

overall: 66 cm x 32 cm x 45 cm; 26 in x 12 5/8 in x 17 11/16 in

Object Name:

microcomputer

Date made:

1982

Credit Line:

Steve Lubar

ID Number:

1994.0078.01.1

Accession number:

1994.0078

Catalog number:

1994.0078.01.1

See more items in:

Medicine and Science: Computers

Family & Social Life

Work

Computers & Business Machines

Data Source:

National Museum of American History

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a8-87d3-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:nmah_997667

Author:

Smith, Norman Alfred Fisher 1938-  Search this

Author:

London University Imperial College of Science and Technology Department of History of Science and Technology  Search this

Physical description:

xi, 74 pages 22 cm

Type:

Books

History

Place:

Great Britain

Grande-Bretagne

Date:

1970

Topic:

Industrial museums  Search this

Technology--History  Search this

Technology--history  Search this

Technologie--Histoire  Search this

Technologie--Musées  Search this

Technology  Search this

Call number:

T179 .S655

T179.S655

Data Source:

Smithsonian Libraries

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:siris_sil_5071

Creator:

National Museum of American History (U.S.) Division of Engineering and Industry  Search this

Subject:

Stephens, Carlene E. 1949-  Search this

Battison, Edwin A  Search this

Vogel, Robert M  Search this

Multhauf, Robert P  Search this

Ferguson, Eugene S  Search this

Mitman, Carl Weaver 1889-  Search this

Roebling, John Augustus 1806-1869  Search this

Lubar, Steven D  Search this

United States National Museum  Search this

Museum of History and Technology (U.S.)  Search this

National Museum of History and Technology (U.S.) Division of Mechanical and Civil Engineering  Search this

National Museum of American History (U.S.) Department of the History of Science and Technology  Search this

Arts and Industries Building (Washington, D.C.)  Search this

National Museum of American History (U.S.) Hall of Heavy Machinery  Search this

National Museum of History and Technology (U.S.) Department of History of Technology  Search this

Museum of History and Technology (U.S.) Department of Science and Technology  Search this

Physical description:

6.81 cu. ft. processed holdings

15.1 cu. ft. unprocessed holdings

Type:

Drawings

Black-and-white photographs

Manuscripts

Floor plans

Black-and-white transparencies

Black-and-white negatives

Color photographs

Color transparencies

Sketches

Exhibition catalogs

Clippings

Newsletters

Architectural drawings

Electronic records

Illustrations

Date:

1927

1927-1991

1927, 1953-1991

Topic:

Engineering--History  Search this

Industries--History  Search this

Civil engineering  Search this

Mechanical engineering  Search this

Museum curators  Search this

Museum exhibits  Search this

Local number:

SIA RS00381

Restrictions & Rights:

Materials less than 15 years old Restricted. Contact reference staff for details

See more items in:

Exhibition Records 1927, 1953-1991 [National Museum of American History (U.S.) Division of Engineering and Industry]

Data Source:

Smithsonian Institution Archives

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:siris_arc_219690

Creator:

National Museum of American History (U.S.) Division of Medicine and Science  Search this

Subject:

Hough, Walter 1859-1935  Search this

Hamarneh, Sami Khalaf 1925-  Search this

Flint, James M (James Milton) 1838-1919  Search this

Melosh, Barbara  Search this

Davis, Audrey B  Search this

Blake, John B  Search this

Donner, Joseph  Search this

Griffenhagen, George B  Search this

Lewton, Frederick L (Frederick Lewis) 1874-1959  Search this

Thomas, George S  Search this

Whitebread, Charles  Search this

McMurtrie, Daniel  Search this

Gravatt, C. U  Search this

Beyer, Henry G  Search this

Toner, Joseph M (Joseph Meredith) 1825-1896  Search this

Boyd, John C  Search this

Dixon, William S  Search this

White, C. H  Search this

Marmion, R. A  Search this

Kondratas, Ramunas  Search this

Gossel, Patricia Peck 1943-  Search this

Stine, Jeffrey K  Search this

Lord, Alexandra M  Search this

National Museum of American History (U.S.) Division of Medical Sciences  Search this

National Museum of American History (U.S.) Division of Science, Medicine, and Society  Search this

United States National Museum Section of Materia Medica  Search this

United States National Museum Division of Medicine  Search this

United States National Museum Division of Textiles  Search this

United States National Museum Division of Medicine and Public Health  Search this

Museum of History and Technology (U.S.) Division of Medical Sciences  Search this

National Museum of History and Technology (U.S.) Division of Medical Sciences  Search this

Type:

Mixed archival materials

Date:

1890

1881-

Topic:

Historical museums  Search this

Medical sciences  Search this

Historians of science  Search this

Museum curators  Search this

Physical sciences  Search this

Mathematics  Search this

Computers--History  Search this

Information technology--History  Search this

Life sciences  Search this

Local number:

SIA AH00101

Data Source:

Smithsonian Institution Archives

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:siris_arc_218177

Measurements:

2 yards weight: 1.6 mm x 33 mm; 1/16 in x 1 5/16 in

1 yard weight: 1.1 mm x 28 mm; 1/16 in x 1 1/8 in

1/2 yard weight: 1.15 mm x 19 mm; 1/16 in x 3/4 in

3 yards weight: 2.3 mm x 33 mm; 1/16 in x 1 5/16 in

10 yards weight: 8 mm x 33 mm; 5/16 in x 1 5/16 in

5 yards weight: 3.9 mm x 33 mm; 1/8 in x 1 5/16 in

overall: 4 3/16 in x 1 5/16 in; 10.63625 cm x 3.33375 cm

Object Name:

Poise and Weights

Object Type:

Weights

Credit Line:

Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of History and Technology, Department of the History of Science and Technology, Division of Physical Sciences

ID Number:

1980.0348.2

Catalog number:

1980.0348.2

Accession number:

1980.0348

See more items in:

Medicine and Science: Chemistry

Data Source:

National Museum of American History

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a0-ed92-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:nmah_128

Artist:

J. S. Miller, 1715 - 1785  Search this

Sitter:

Peter Collinson, 1694 - 1768  Search this

Medium:

Line engraving

Dimensions:

20.6 x 15.9cm (8 1/8 x 6 1/4")

Type:

Print

Date:

1770

Topic:

Peter Collinson: Male  Search this

Peter Collinson: Science and Technology\Scientist  Search this

Portrait  Search this

Credit Line:

Owner: Dibner Institute for the History of Science and Technology

Object number:

MA900128

Restrictions & Rights:

Usage conditions apply

See more items in:

Catalog of American Portraits

Data Source:

Catalog of American Portraits

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm41a6ac408-bd65-4be6-aa6f-da8cd4ef5f49

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:npg_MA900128

Artist:

C. Boily  Search this

Sitter:

Carolus Linnaeus, 1707 - 1778  Search this

Medium:

Engraving

Dimensions:

12 x 10cm (4 3/4 x 3 15/16")

Type:

Print

Date:

1804

Topic:

Carolus Linnaeus: Male  Search this

Carolus Linnaeus: Medicine and Health\Physician  Search this

Carolus Linnaeus: Science and Technology\Scientist\Biologist\Botanist  Search this

Carolus Linnaeus: Science and Technology\Scientist\Biologist\Zoologist  Search this

Portrait  Search this

Credit Line:

Owner: Dibner Institute for the History of Science and Technology

Object number:

MA900129

Restrictions & Rights:

Usage conditions apply

See more items in:

Catalog of American Portraits

Data Source:

Catalog of American Portraits

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm47f50a799-65e3-40ca-9813-f831aaa2c9f8

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:npg_MA900129

Creator:

National Museum of American History (U.S.) Division of Information Technology and Society  Search this

Subject:

Molella, Arthur P. 1944-  Search this

Forman, Paul  Search this

Lewis, Lester Clark  Search this

Finn, Bernard S. 1932-  Search this

Wedderburn, Alexander J  Search this

Ostroff, Eugene  Search this

Haberstich, David  Search this

Hawkins, Elliott  Search this

Liebhold, Peter  Search this

National Museum of American History (U.S.)  Search this

National Museum of American History (U.S.) Department of the History of Science and Technology  Search this

United States National Museum Division of Graphic Arts  Search this

Museum of History and Technology (U.S.) Division of Graphic Arts  Search this

National Museum of History and Technology (U.S.) Division of Graphic Arts and Photography  Search this

National Museum of History and Technology (U.S.) Division of Graphic Arts  Search this

Science in American Life (Exhibition) (1994-2011: Washington, D.C.)  Search this

Physical description:

30.14 cu. ft. unprocessed holdings

Type:

Manuscripts

Black-and-white photographs

Black-and-white negatives

Color photographs

Color negatives

Floor plans

Floppy disks

Clippings

Brochures

Drawings

Architectural drawings

Posters

Sketches

Exhibition catalogs

Electronic records

Audiotapes

Videotapes

Motion pictures (visual works)

Videodiscs

Compact discs

Date:

1920

1920-2008

Topic:

Museum exhibits  Search this

Museums--Educational aspects  Search this

Museums--Public relations  Search this

Congresses and conventions  Search this

Museum curators  Search this

Photography--History  Search this

Historical museums  Search this

Local number:

SIA RS00239

See more items in:

Exhibition Records 1920-2008 [National Museum of American History (U.S.) Division of Information Technology and Society]

Data Source:

Smithsonian Institution Archives

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:siris_arc_260653

Author:

Chen, Kai Jun  Search this

Physical description:

x, 211 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates illustrations (some color) 26 cm

Type:

Books

History

Place:

China

Jingdezhen

Date:

2023

18th century

Qing dynasty, 1644-1912

Topic:

Porcelain industry--History  Search this

Art and state--History  Search this

Art and technology--History  Search this

Art and state  Search this

Art and technology  Search this

Porcelain industry  Search this

Qing Dynasty (China)  Search this

History  Search this

Data Source:

Smithsonian Libraries

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:siris_sil_1161570

Creator:

Smithsonian Libraries  Search this

Subject:

Turner, Jane A  Search this

Jewett, Charles C (Charles Coffin) 1816-1868  Search this

Adler, Cyrus 1863-1940  Search this

True, Frederick William 1858-1914  Search this

Maloy, Robert  Search this

Brockett, Paul 1872-1946  Search this

Corbin, William L  Search this

Clark, Leila F  Search this

Blanchard, Ruth E  Search this

Murdoch, John 1852-1925  Search this

Watkins, J. Elfreth (John Elfreth) 1852-1903  Search this

Huffer, Mary A  Search this

Shank, Russell 1925-2012  Search this

Smith, Barbara J (Barbara Jeanne) 1939-  Search this

Gwinn, Nancy E  Search this

Miller, Scott E (Scott Everett)  Search this

Choate, Rufus 1799-1859  Search this

Marsh, George Perkins 1801-1882  Search this

Carmichael, Leonard 1898-1973  Search this

Baird, Spencer Fullerton 1823-1887  Search this

Ripley, S. Dillon (Sidney Dillon) 1913-2001  Search this

Smithsonian Institution Libraries Librarian  Search this

Smithsonian Institution Libraries Office of the Director  Search this

Smithsonian Institution Libraries New Media Office  Search this

Smithsonian Institution Libraries Administrative Officer  Search this

Biodiversity Heritage Library  Search this

Library of Congress  Search this

Smithsonian Institution Building (Washington, D.C.)  Search this

United States National Museum  Search this

Arts and Industries Building (Washington, D.C.)  Search this

Dibner Library  Search this

Joseph F. Cullman Library  Search this

Smithsonian Institution Libraries  Search this

Type:

Mixed archival materials

Date:

1846

1846-2019

Topic:

Museum libraries  Search this

Libraries and museums  Search this

Special libraries  Search this

Museum exhibits  Search this

Rare book libraries  Search this

Local number:

SIA AH00377

Data Source:

Smithsonian Institution Archives

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:siris_arc_235260

Creator:

Ledley, Robert S.  Search this

National Biomedical Research Foundation. Georgetown University  Search this

Names:

Automatic Computerized Transverse Axial Scanner  Search this

Computer-Assisted Tomography Scanner  Search this

National Biomedical Research Foundation. Georgetown University  Search this

Extent:

3 Cubic feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Manuals

Patents

Photographs

Design drawings

Correspondence

Articles

Diagrams

Slides (photographs)

Notes

Motion pictures (visual works)

Albums

Date:

1972-1990

Summary:

The Robert Ledley Papers document the development of the first whole-body diagnostic imaging system, the Automatic Computerized Transverse Axial (ACTA) X-ray Scanner by Ledley in 1973. Also included is material relating to Ledley's company, Digital Science Information Corporation (DISCO), as well as the public and medical communities' reactions to the scanner.

Scope and Contents:

The Robert Ledley Papers document the development of the Automatic Computerized Transverse Axial (ACTA) X-ray Scanner, Ledley's company Digital Science Information Corporation (DISCO), as well as the public and medical communities' reactions to the scanner. The collection is arranged into nine series.

Series 1, ACTA Scanner I Schematics, 1973-1975; Series 2, ACTA Scanner I [Computer and Electronics], 1973; and Series 3, ACTA Scanner Tomograph Mechanics, 1973-1974 document the development and design of the ACTA scanner through drawings, notes, memoranda, and product information. More detailed information about these materials is located in the control file. All oversize drawings have been moved to flat storage for preservation concerns.

Series 4, ACTA Scanner Operating Instructions, 1975, is the operating manual created for the scanner used in Ledley's Georgetown lab.

Series 5, ACTA Articles, Clippings, and Press Releases, 1973-1979, is comprised of the aforementioned materials relating to the ACTA Scanner. Newspaper clippings illuminate the public's perception of the scanner, and scientific pieces highlight the medical community's reaction. Ledley's published articles on the scanner and related topics are included.

Series 6, Digital Information Science Corporation (DISCO) material, 1973-1981, documents Ledley's career and his company. A biographical sketch, list of articles, textbooks, and patents highlight Ledley's achievements. Invoices, receipts, contracts, and correspondence illuminate the financial situation at DISCO and the relationship between the company and Pfizer.

Series 7, Computer manuals, 1972-1975, documents the computer systems and software that were used with the ACTA Scanner.

Series 8, Photographic material, 1973-1978, includes an album of photographs depicting the ACTA Scanner and images of the scans it created. This album was disassembled due to preservation concerns. This series also includes a collection of slides featuring the scanner and related equipment in use and images of the scans it created. A detailed description of each photograph and slide is included in the control file.

Series 9, ACTA Scanner film, [1974?], is a 16mm narrated film describing the creation of the scanner, its components, the way they work, the scanner in use, and images of the scans produced.

Arrangement:

This collection is arranged into nine series.

Series 1, ACTA Scanner I Schematics, 1973-1975

Series 2, ACTA Scanner I [Computer and Electronics], 1973

Series 3, ACTA Scanner Tomograph Mechanics, 1973-1974

Series 4, ACTA Scanner Operating Instructions, 1975

Series 5, ACTA Articles, Clippings, and Press Releases, 1973-1979

Series 6, Digital Information Science Corporation (DISCO) material, 1973-1981, undated

Series 7, Computer manuals, 1972-1975

Series 8, Photographic material 1973-1978

Subseries 1, Photographs, 19731978

Subseries 2, Slides, 1974

Series 9, ACTA Scanner film [1974?]

Biographical / Historical:

Robert Steven Ledley was born in Flushing Meadows, New York in 1926. He received a D.D.S. degree from New York University College in 1948. While attending dental school, he simultaneously studied at Columbia University; he earned a M.A. in Theoretical Physics in 1949. He volunteered for the army and was sent to the U.S. Army Medical Field Service School in Fort Sam Houston, Texas.1 After completing his service, Ledley held a wide variety of research and academic positions in physics, electrical engineering, and medicine.

Ledley was a physicist within the External Control Group of the Electronic Computer Laboratory of the National Bureau of Standards from 1953-1954. He was an operations research analyst within the Strategic Division of the Operations Research Office at Johns Hopkins University from 1954-1956. Ledley went on to become an associate professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering at The George Washington University from 1956-1960 while also serving as a consultant mathematician at the National Bureau of Standards Data Processing Systems Division, 1957-1960. At this time, Ledley also worked part time at the National Research Council's National Academy of Sciences from 1957-1961. Ledley became the president of the National Biomedical Research Foundation in 1960, a position he still holds today. He was an instructor of pediatrics at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine from 1960-1963. He returned to The George Washington University's Department of Electrical Engineering in 1968 where he was a professor until 1970. He then became a professor in the Department of Physiology and Biophysics at the Georgetown University School of Medicine in 1970. In 1974, Ledley also became a professor in the Radiology Department at the Georgetown University Medical Center. In 1975, he became the director of the Medical Computing and Biophysics Division at Georgetown University Medical Center.

In 1972, the British company Electric and Musical Industries Limited (EMI) released a medical imaging machine for use on smaller areas of the body that were positioned under a water tank. In 1973, Ledley developed the Automatic Computerized Transverse Axial (ACTA) X-ray Scanner (US Patent #3,922,552). This machine was a whole-body diagnostic medical imaging system. He was awarded a grant from the National Institutes of Health for an engineering equipment project, but the money was never received due to budget cuts. Ledley looked elsewhere for funding. He consulted with Georgetown staff and discovered a neurosurgeon had asked to buy a head scanning machine from EMI. Ledley did not think the images in EMI's brochure appeared clear, and he offered to create a similar machine for half the price. Georgetown agreed to fund this project for $250,000. Ledley secured the services of a machinist at a local machine shop, an electronic engineer, and a programmer/mathematician to assist in the project.2 The ACTA Scanner debuted in February, 1974 and did not require the use of a water tank.

Following the creation of the ACTA Scanner, Ledley organized Digital Information Science Corporation (DISCO) in order to manufacture the system. DISCO began producing scanners as orders were received. Due to financial constraints, DISCO was forced to request $100,000 upon receipt of the order, $100,000 when the scanner was halfway completed, and the final $100,000 payment upon delivery3. In 1975, Pfizer purchased the rights to manufacture the ACTA Scanner from DISCO for $1.5 million.

Ledley is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and a senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. He has earned numerous awards and honors for his work. In 1997, he received the National Medal of Technology from President William Jefferson Clinton for his pioneering work on the whole-body CT diagnostic X-ray scanner. He also founded the Pattern Recognition Society and Computerized Tomography Society.

Sources

1 Ash, J., D. Sittig, and R. Ledley. "The Story Behind the Development of the First Whole-body Computerized Tomography Scanner as Told by Robert S. Ledley." Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, 2006 Sep-Oct (2006), 465-469, http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1561796. (accessed June 24, 2009).

2 Ibid.

3 Ibid.

Separated Materials:

An ACTA Scanner and numerous accessories were donated to the Division of Medicine and Science in 1984.

Provenance:

This collection was donated by Robert S. Ledley on September 18, 1984.

Restrictions:

The collection is open for research.

Rights:

Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning intellectual property rights. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Topic:

Medical innovations  Search this

Inventors  Search this

Inventions -- 20th century  Search this

Biology  Search this

History of science and technology  Search this

Digital Information Science Corporation  Search this

Diagnostic imaging  Search this

Medicine  Search this

Medical technology  Search this

Medical radiology  Search this

Whole body imaging  Search this

Tomography  Search this

Radiology  Search this

Genre/Form:

Manuals -- 1970-1990

Patents

Photographs

Design drawings

Correspondence -- 20th century

Articles -- 20th century

Diagrams

Slides (photographs) -- 1950-2000

Notes

Motion pictures (visual works) -- 20th century

Albums

Citation:

Robert Ledley Papers, 1972-1984, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution

Identifier:

NMAH.AC.1135

See more items in:

Robert Ledley Papers

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep8b394c960-d574-4b92-a59f-83868a5cd581

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-1135