Special Collections and University Archives
403 Parks Library | 701 Morrill Road
Iowa State University
Ames, IA 50011-2102

RS 13/20/52
Gordon C. Danielson (1912-1983)
Papers, 1931-1981, undated


Descriptive summary

creator: Danielson, Gordon C., 1912-1983
title: Gordon C. Danielson papers
dates: 1931-1981
extent: 5.88 linear feet (14 document boxes)
collection number: RS 13/20/52
repository: University Archives, Iowa State University Library Special Collections and University Archives.
language: English

 

Administrative information

access: Open for research
publication rights: Consult Special Collections and University Archives
preferred citation: Gordon C. Danielson papers, RS 12/20/52, Iowa State University Library Special Collections and University Archives.

 

Access points

people, families, and corporate bodies:

Danielson, Gordon C., 1912-1983
Iowa State University -- Physics Department
Iowa State University -- Faculty

Ames Laboratory -- Officials and employees
places:  
subjects:

Physics

Physicists -- Iowa
genres:

Instructional materials
Lectures
Lecture notes
Awards

Photographic prints

 

Abstract

Gordon C. Danielson (1912-1983) received his B.A. (1933) and M.A. (1935) in physics from the University of British Columbia and his Ph.D. (1940) in physics from Purdue University. He joined the faculty of Iowa State College (University) in 1948 as an Associate Professor of Physics, was promoted to Professor of Physics in 1953, and ultimately became a Distinguished Professor in Sciences & Humanities from 1964 until his retirement in 1981. At retirement, he was granted Professor Emeritus status. This collection contains biographical information, photographs, honors he received, correspondence, class notes, information on the John Franklin Carlson lectures held at ISU, and materials related to a variety of subjects and persons of interest to Danielson.

 

Biographical note

Gordon Charles Danielson was born in Dover, Idaho in 1912 to Norwegian immigrants, Gustov and Olga (Olson) Danielson. His father worked as a yard foreman and superintendent of lumber mills and moved the family to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada in 1925. Gordon graduated as valedictorian from the King George V High School in Ladner, British Columbia in 1928. He received his B.A. (1933) and M.A. (1935) in physics from the University of British Columbia and his Ph.D. (1940) in physics from Purdue University. He spent small amounts of time working for U.S. Rubber in Detroit, Michigan (1940), on the physics faculty at the University of Idaho (1941), at the Radiation Lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1942-1946), and at Bell Telephone Labs (1946-1948).

Danielson came to Iowa State College (University) as an Associate Professor of Physics in 1948. He received promotions to Professor of Physics in 1953 and Distinguished Professor in Sciences and Humanities in 1964, a position he held until his retirement and transition to Emeritus Professor in 1981. For much of that time, he also served as Senior Physicist at Ames Laboratory.

He married Dorothy Thompson in 1939 with whom he had four children, a daughter and three sons. He died on September 30, 1983.

 

Collection description

This collection (1931-1983) contains biographical information, photographs, honors he received, correspondence, class notes, information on the John Franklin Carlson lectures held at ISU, and materials related to a variety of subjects and persons of interest to professor Danielson. The papers cover his time as a student at the University of British Columbia and Purdue University through his tenure as an Iowa State University faculty member (1948-1981).

 

Related materials

The Department holds the following related collection:  John Franklin Carlson Lectures Records, RS 13/20/4

Additional collections related to the Department of Physics are classified under the RS 13/20 record series and can be found through the department's website.

 

Removal/Transfer notes

The Graduate Student File series was removed from the collection (2017) due to low informational value and personally identifiable information (PII). The following folders were also removed due to the same reasons: "safe combination"; "receipts, brochures, 'splitting the infinitive,' household letter"; "library"; "Cosby, Ronald Maurice." The folder "Rare Earth Metals" was transferred to the Karl A. Gschneidner papers (RS 11/12/52).

 

Organization

The collection is organized into five series:

 

Description of series

Series 1 Biographical Information and Correspondence 1955-1983, undated
extent: 0.42 linear feet (1 document box)
description: This series contains biographical sketches, resumes, publication lists, personnel file information, departmental newsletters, newspaper and printed clippings, and photographs. Honors related materials includes certificates, correspondence, publications, and programs associated with various honors awarded to Danielson by Iowa State University and other organizations. The correspondence contains a wide variety of personal and professional correspondence from colleagues, professional contacts with companies, friends, and students from throughout Danielson's career. Arranged alphabetically.

 

Container list

Box

Folder

Title

Dates

1

1

Biographical Material

1967-1983, undated

1

2

Photographs

1967

1

3

Honors (Iowa State University)

1968-1973

1

4

Special Honors

1958-1978

1

5

Biographical Honors

1970-1974

1

6-9

Correspondence

1955-1981

1

10

Personal Correspondence

1967-1975, undated

1

11

Memos (Interoffice Communication)

1962-1981, undated

1

12

Greeting Cards

1975-1976, undated

 

Description of series

Series 2 Class Notes 1931-1938, 1966-1980, undated
extent: 0.42 linear feet (1 document box)
description: This series contains Danielson's own notes from a variety of mathematics and physics classes he took as an undergraduate and as a Ph.D. student as well as course materials for classes he taught at Iowa State University. Arranged alphabetically.

 

Container list

Box

Folder

Title

Dates

1

13

Exam Papers for Physics (101, 350, 372, 640)

1966-1974

1

14

Mathematics 231, 275 (Dr. Lanczos instructor)

1937

2

1

Modern Physics I (K. Lark Horovity instructor)

1938

2

2

Modern Physics II (K. Lark Horovity instructor)

1937

2

3

Physics 5 (Dr. Hennings instructor)

1931

2

4

Physics 8 (Dr. Shrum and Mr. Smith instructors)

1931

2

5

Physics 112 (Gordon C. Danielson instructor)

1979-1980

2

6

Physics 122, 123 (Dr. Nordheim instructor)

1937

2

7

Physics Experiments (undergraduate)

1975-1976, undated

 

Description of series

Series 3 John Franklin Carlson Lectures 1915, 1950-1971, undated
extent: 0.42 linear feet
description: This series contains documents regarding the establishment of the Carlson Lecture series held at Iowa State University as well as information pertaining to individual lectures. Arranged chronologically.

 

Container list

Box

Folder

Title

Dates

2

8

John Franklin Carlson Lecture Fund (Danielson Chair)

1954-1967, undated

2

9

1st Carlson Lecture – J. Robert –Oppenheimer. "Electron Theory: Description and Analogy." Includes photos and news clippings.

1954-1957, undated

3

1

2nd Carlson Lecture – P. W. Bridgman. "Some of the Broader Implications of Science."

1955-1957, undated

3

2

3rd Carlson Lecture – Niels Bohr. "The Unity of Knowledge."

1950-1971, undated

3

3

4th Carlson Lecture – G. E. Uhlenbeck. "Is there an arrow in time?"

1958-1959, undated

3

4

5th Carlson Lecture – Michael Polanyi. "The Realm of the Unspoken."

1961-1963, undated

3

5

6th Carlson Lecture – Eugene P. Wigner. "The Growth of Science – Its Promise and Its Dangers."

1963-1970, undated

3

6

7th Carlson Lecture – Sam A. Goudsmit. "Discovery of the Electron Spin."

1965-1966

3

7

8th Carlson Lecture – Freeman J. Dyson. "The Human Consequences of the Exploration of Space."

1967-1968, undated

3

8

9th Carlson Lecture – Phillip Morrison. "The Great Krill Industry – Science and the Future."

1915, 1968-1969, undated

3

9

10th Carlson Lecture – Victor F. Weisskopf. "Why Pure Science?"

1960-1970, undated

 

Description of series

Series 4 Subject Files 1928-1982, undated
extent: 4 linear feet
description: This series contains information on topics related to projects, research, and subjects of interest to Danielson. Arranged alphabetically.

 

Container list

 

Box

Folder

Title

Dates

4

6

Activation Analysis

1960, 1966, undated

4

7

Aerospace Engineering 490x, Math 528-529-530, Physics 100-600

undated

4

8

Alumni Fund

1964-1981, undated

4

9

Alumni Workshop

1969-1970, undated

4

10

Amorphous Semiconductors

1969-1975, undated

4

11

Argonne National Laboratory

1979-1981, undated

4

12

Argonne Review Committee

1961-1963

4

13

Armco Iron

1964-1965, undated

4

14

ASPEN

1979-1982, undated

4

15

Australia

1970-1971, undated

4

16

Bessel Functions

undated

4

17

Boron

1950-1958

4

18

Cavendish Laboratory

1956, 1964

4

19

Coal-Driven Power Station

undated

4

20

Computer

1977

4

21

CRC Press

1976-1977, undated

5

1

Creighton University

1969

5

2

Crystal Physics Group III (pictures)

1967, 1970

5

3

Crystal Structure and Growth

1953-1974, undated

5

4

Czechoslovakia

1960

5

5

de Haas-van Alphen Effect

1969, 1971

5

6

Debbie Van Cleave (letter of recommendation)

1978-1979, undated

5

7

Diamonds

1948-1966, undated

5

8

Diffusivity

1962-1968, undated

5

9

Elastic Constants

1968

5

10

Electrical Properties of Some Transition Metals and Transition-Metal Carbides

1967

5

11

Electrocatalysis

1967-1978, undated

5

12

Electrodes

1968-1972, undated

5

13

Environment

1970

5

14

Energy Research and Development Administration (ERDA)

1975-1981

6

1

Europe

1964

6

2

Faculty Appeal

1980

6

3

Financial Aid Committee Meeting

1979-1981

6

4

Ford Motor Company

1963-1964

6

5

Freedom

undated

6

6

Germanium

undated

6

7-8

Gordon Research Conference

1961, 1970

6

9

Grants

1981, undated

6

10

Guggenheim Fellowships

1956-1978

6

11

Hall Probe for Determining the Magnetic Field (B)

1961

6

12

Hong Kong

1970

6

13

Hydrogen

1972-1977, undated

6

14

InSb / Indium Antimonide (Magnetoresistance)

1956

6

15

India

1960-1977, undated

6

16

In-Service Institute

1963-1965

6

19

Japan

1963, 1970, undated

6

20

Karl Lark-Horovitz

1928-1958, 1970

6

21

Lattice Dynamics of MG2X compounds

1964-1971

6

22

Lawrence Radiation Lab. (Ge. Crystals)

1972

6

23

Magnetic Properties

1960-1975, undated

7

1

Map Showing Route to ISU Observatory ("Sky Ranch")

undated

7

2

Memorial Resolution

undated

7

3

Metal-Nonmetal Transition

1959-1968, undated

7

4

Mg2X

undated

7

5

Mg2X

1955-1972

7

6

Minnesota

1963

7

7

Niels Bohr Library

1963-1975

7

8

Ninth Conference on Thermal Conductivity

1968-1970, undated

7

9

Nobel Prize

1951-1972

7

10

NSF (National Science Foundation)

1963-1977, undated

7

11

Nuclear Power

1968

7

12

Oak Ridge National Laboratory

1977

8

1

ONR Reports

1959, 1977-1978

8

2

Oppenheimer Memorial Lecture Fund

1963, 1972, undated

8

3

Optical Properties of MxWO3 (Tungsten Bronzes)

1959, 1970, 1974

8

4

Philosophy

1930-1962

8

5

Photoelectron Spectrometer

1977

8

6

Physics Colloquium

1973-1975

8

7

Physics Overview (Old Copies)

1976, undated

8

8

Planetarium

1978

8

9

Polycrystalline BaTiO3 (Barium Titanate)

1948

8

10

Purdue

1976-1980, undated

8

11

Puzzle

1960-1970, undated

8

12

Religion and Physics

1960-1972, undated

8

13

Reprints Requests

1961-1977, undated

8

14

Research

1969, undated

8

15

Russell Effect

1956

8

16

Science

1961-1975, undated

8

17

Semiconductor (Tunneling)

1966-1967

8

18

Silicon

1955, 1963

8

19

Solar Energy

1964-1973, undated

8

20

Solar Energy

1974-1976

9

1

SSS Panel Meeting at Ames

1964, 1973, undated

9

2

Status of Crystal Growth in USA

1964, undated

9

3

Status of Crystal Growth in USA

1967-1969, 1972

9

4

Superconductivity

1964-1967, 1973, 1975, undated

9

5

Superconductors

1971, 1976, undated

9

6

Supplements

1976-1979, undated

9

7

Surfaces

1965-1970, undated

9

8

Surfaces

1971-1975

10

1

Symbols, Units and Nomenclature in Physics

1962

10

2

Theory - Chemistry

1957, 1973, undated

10

3

Thermal Conductivity

1955-1965, undated

10

4

Thermal Properties

1953-1972, undated

10

5

Thermoelectric Phenomena

1957-1978, undated

10

6

Thin Film Equipment

1976

10

7

Thorium

1969, 1971

10

8

TI Consulting

1956-1974, undated

11

1

Transistors

1948, undated

11

2

Transport in Metals

1958, undated

11

3

Tungsten Bronzes

1954-1975

11

4-5

Tungsten Bronzes (Electrical Properties)

1951-1979, undated

11

6

Tye Thermal Conductivity Book

1965--1981

11

7

University of Kansas

1962-1963, undated

11

8

Uranium

1956

11

9

USAEC

1969, 1975

11

10

Vacuum

1955

11

11-12

Vanadium

1936-1981, undated

12

1

Varian Associates

1963-1964

12

2

Venezuela

1970, undated

12

3

Visiting Scientists Program

1960-1972

12

4

X-ray Diffraction

undated

12

5

YMCA

1960-1967, undated

 

Description of series

Series 5 Background Materials 1946-1981, undated
extent: 1.26 linear feet
description: This series contains background information or publications on persons of interest to Danielson.

 

Container list

Box

Folder

Title

Dates

3

10

Agrawal, Om P.

undated

3

25

Anderson, Gary Lytle

1961, 1965

3

26

Anderson, Ronald M.

1962

12

6

Barnes, R.C.

Undated

12

7

Bethe, Hans

1953

3

11

Bond, Paul

1962

12

8

Bond, W.L.

1946-1948

3

27

Carnahan, Thomas G.

1971, undated

3

28

Choudhury, Nabendu Sekhar

1969, 1971

12

9

Cook, Barnett C.

1965-1970, undated

12

10

Damask, A.C.

1956-1965, undated

12

11

Danielson, Lee Robert

1963-1981, undated

3

12

Davies, John S.

1969-1970

12

12

Earls, Lester T.

1987, undated

12

13

Finnemore, D.K.

undated

10

9

Fox, G. W.

1978-1980, undated

10

10

Fuchs, R.

undated

4

3

Garrett, Candy

1970-1971, undated

10

11

Gerstein, B. C.

undated

10

12

Gold, A. V.

1958-1971, undated

10

13

Good, R. H.

1956-1961, undated

10

14

Goodenough, John B.

1963-1968

4

4

Green, Walls

1972

10

15

Haller, E. E.

1964-1972, undated

3

13

Harriott, Edward

1977

10

16

Hodges, Laurent

1972-1975, undated

4

5

Jomes, James E.

1968

3

14

Kao, Augustin V.

1970, 1972, 1973

3

15

Karmon, Dan

1970-1971

13

1

Keller, Joseph M.

1965-1970, undated

3

16

Lai, Yeou-ren

1970-1971

13

2

Laslett, L. J.

1954, 1960-1961, 1974

13

3

Lassila, K. E.

1966, 1976

3

17

Lee, Hai Young

1971

13

4

Legrold, Sam

1970-1979, undated

3

18

Limpaphayom, Paiboon

1969

13

5

Lynch, D. W.

1964-1979, undated

13

6

Mackintosh, A. R.

1963, undated

3

19

Mattson, Roy Henry

1957

13

7

McDonald, J. E.

1959, 1969

3

29

McIlwain, John Francis

1968, 1973

3

20

McRoberts, Thomas

1969

13

8

Parks, W. Robert

1976, 1979

13

9

Pippard, A. B.

1960

3

21

Rosenfeld, Ronald Carl

1971

13

10

Ruedenberg, K.

1979

13

11

Rundle, Robert E.

1960-1965, undated

13

12

Savage, William R.

1969-1971, undated

13

13-14

Shanks, H. R.

1961-1977, undated

13

15

Shoenberg, D.

1959-1960

13

16

Shrum, Gordon

1978

3

22

Sie, Charles H.

1971

3

30

Simonen, Edward Paul

1968, 1972

13

17

Sinha, S. K.

undated

3

31

Sinha, Uday K.

1973-1974

13

18

Sinsheimer, Robert L.

1965-1977

13

19

Slater, J. C.

1949-1958

3

32

Sorensen, Sigurd Martin

1974, undated

3

23

Spaight, Ronald

1969

13

20

Tanaka, Kunihide

1967-1974, undated

3

24

Uttecht, Ronald

1969

3

33

Warner, Jay

1972, undated

13

21

Wohlfarth, E. P.

1966

4

1

Yost, Fred

1969

13

22

Zaffarano, Daniel J.

1968-1971

4

2

Zerwekh, Robert P.

1970, undated