Special Collections Department
403 Parks Library
Iowa State University
Ames, IA 50011-2140

RS 9/9/61
Grace and Minoru Amemiya
Papers, 1953-2010, undated


Descriptive summary

creator:

Amemiya, Grace (1920- ) and Minoru (1922-2000)

title:

Papers

dates:

1961-2010

extent:

1.3 linear feet (1 records center carton)

collection number:

RS 9/9/61

repository:

University Archives, Special Collections and University Archives Department, Iowa State University.
language: English

 

Administrative information

access:

Open for research

publication rights:

Consult Head, Special Collections and University Archives Department

preferred citation:

Grace and Minoru Amemiya Papers, RS 9/9/61, Special Collections and University Archives Department, Iowa State University Library.

 

Access points

People, Families, and Corporate Bodies:

Amemiya, Minoru, 1922-2000
Amemiya, Grace, 1920-

Iowa State University. Department of Agronomy -- Faculty

Places:

 

Subjects:

Soil management
Water-supply -- Management
Scientists -- Japanese Americans
Japanese Americans -- Evacuation and relocation, 1942-1945

     -- Interviews
Genres:

Articles
Research (documents)
Interviews

Transcripts

 

Abstract

Minoru (Min) Amemiya was born on March 17, 1922, in San Francisco, California.  Amemiya worked at Iowa State University for the Department of Agronomy. Amemiya's focus was working with county extension offices and local farmers to promote the preservation of soil and water resources. The intent was to reduce tillage and lessen soil erosion. This collection contains published articles by Amemiya on tillage practices, soil conservation methods, and water resource management, related research materials, unpublished reports and papers, and correspondence. The biographical file contains interviews with his wife, Grace, about her experiences in the U.S. internment camps after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

 

Biographical note

Minoru (Min) Amemiya was born on March 17, 1922, in San Francisco, California. He received a B.S. in Plant Science from the University of California at Berkeley (1942), and an M.S. (1948) and a Ph.D. (1950) in Agronomy, both from Ohio State University. Before coming to Iowa State, Amemiya worked as a soil scientist with the USDA and Associate Agronomist (1950-1958) with the Colorado Agricultural Experiment Station, and a Research Soil Scientist (1958-1960) with the USDA in Texas and Ames, Iowa.

Amemiya worked at Iowa State University for the Department of Agronomy as a USDA collaborator (1960-1968) and Associate Professor (1963-1968). He was promoted to Associate Professor (1968-1971) then Professor (1971-1988) and also served as Extension Agronomist (1968-1988). Amemiya's focus was working with county extension offices and local farmers to promote the preservation of soil and water resources in an effort to reduce tillage and lessen soil erosion.

While at Iowa State University, Amemiya served on many committees and councils, including the Faculty Council (1970-1973), Environtology Council (1971-1973), and Insurance and Annuities Committee (1970-1972). He held memberships with many honorary and professional organizations including the American Society of Agronomy, Soil Science Society of America, Western Society of Soil Science, Gamma Sigma Delta, Epsilon Sigma Phi, and the Society of Sigma Xi.

Amemiya married Grace Obata (1947) in Ohio. Grace was born on October 26, 1920 in Vacaville, California, and trained in nursing at the University of California School of Nursing and St. Mary's School of Nursing (Rochester, Minnesota). They had two sons, Michael (1952-2002), and Robert (1955- ). Before they married, both Minoru and Grace were sent to Japanese-American internment camps following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941. Minoru Amemiya died November 2, 2000, and was buried in the Iowa State University Cemetery. 

 

Collection description

This collection contains published articles by Amemiya on tillage practices, soil conservation methods, and water resource management, related research materials, unpublished reports and papers, and correspondence. The biographical file contains interviews with his wife, Grace, about her experiences in the U.S. internment camps after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

 

Related materials

Related collections in the Special Collections Department, Iowa State University Library include:

  • "The Japanese-American Internment, Our Story" Parks Library Special Collections, Media Center (VIDE 008 051)

 

Organization

The collection is arranged in alphabetical order. The videotape is housed in the videotape collection.

 

Container list

Box

Folder

Title

Dates

1

1

Biographical information

1968-2010

1

2

List of publications (partial)

1953-1978

1

3

Article - "Reclamation of a Saline-Alkaline Soil in the Upper Colorado River Basin"

1956

1

4

Article - "Alfalfa Growth as Affected by Aeration and Soil Moisture Stress Under Flood Irrigation"

1957

1

5

Article - "Use of Undisturbed Soil Cores to Investigate the Reclamation of Saline and Alkaline Soils"

1958

1

6

Article - "Utilization of Air Permeability of Porous Ceramics as a Measure of Hydraulic Stress in Soils"

1958

1

7

Article - "Economical 'Go-Cart' for a Neutron Probe and Scaler"

1960

1

8

Research materials - soil conservation

1961-1980, undated

1

9

Article - "What Tillage for Corn?"

1962

1

10

Article - "Field Measurement of Total Porosity and Surface Microrelief of Soils"

1963

1

11

Article - "Soil Water Depletion by Irrigated Cotton as Influenced by Water Regime and Stage of Plant Development"

1963

1

12

Article - "Reduction of Strontium-90 Uptake by Corn and Soybeans with Deep Placement, Irrigation, and Soil Amendments"

1964

1

13

Article - "Influence of Aggregate Size on Soil Moisture Content-Capillary Conductivity Relations"

1965

1

14

Pamphlet - "You Can Do Something About the Environment"

1965

1

15

Grant applications, correspondence, notes - Title I

1965-1971

1

16

Article - "Save Tomorrow's Soils… Control Erosion from Row-Cropping Today"

1967

1

17

Correspondence - Davies farm, Mills County

1967

1

18

Technical bulletin - "Improved Soil Productivity in Western Colorado with Fertilizers and Alfalfa"

1967

1

19

Technical Bulletin - "Reduction in the Plant Uptake of Sr-90 by Soil Management Treatments"

1967

1

76

Article - "Control Erosion from Row-Cropping Today"

1967

1

20

Iowa  4-H Conservation Workshop

1967-1975

1

77

Conference - Four State Soil Conservation, Dubuque, Iowa

1967-1977

1

21

Article - "Tillage-Soil Water Relations of Corn as Influences by Weather"

1968

1

22

Research materials - conservation education

1968-1973, undated

1

23

Minutes - State Watershed Advisory Board

1968-1978

1

24

Article - "Tillage Practices for Controlling Cropland Erosion"

1969

1

25

Paper - "ISU Suggestions for 1970 Crop Production, Tillage in Perspective"

1969

1

26

Soil and Water Stewardship Week

1969-1988

1

27

Article - "Comparison of Two Methods for Determining Soil Water Diffusivity"

1970

1

78

Paper - "ISU Suggestions for 1971 Crop Production -Pollution: Soil Erosion Considerations"

1970

1

28

Correspondence - Environtology Council

1970-1971

1

29

Minutes - Environtology Council

1970-1971

1

30

Notes, Minutes - Environtology Council

1970-1971

1

31

Forum - environmental quality

1970-1971, undated

1

32

Correspondence - environtology

1970-1973

1

33

Research materials - water quality

1970-1982, undated

1

34

Article - "Some Effects of Aggregate Structure Heterogeneity on Root Growth"

1971

1

35

Correspondence - National Environmental Laboratory

1971

1

79

Paper - "Conservation and Soil Erosion Control"

1971

1

80

Paper - "ISU Suggestions for 1972 Crop Production: the Iowa Conservancy District Law"

1971

1

81

Report - "Soil Survey Information Meetings"

1971

1

36

Reference, notes - environmental quality control

1971, undated

1

37

Correspondence - environmental quality and health

1971-1973

1

38

Ames Reservoir

1972

1

39

Paper - "Iowa's Land and Water Resources: The Physical Base"

1972

1

40

Paper - "ISU Suggestions for 1973 Crop Production, Advance and Final Soil Survey Reports"

1972

1

41

Correspondence - ad hoc committee for interactive maps and related articles

1972, undated

1

42

Correspondence - tillage conservation

1972-1973

1

43

Correspondence, minutes - Soil Conservation District Commissioners Research Committee

1972-1980

1

44

Research materials - organic farming

1972-1985, undated

1

45

Article - "Tillage Management Principles: Soil Temperature Effects"

1973

1

46

Paper - "Soils"

1973

1

47

Report - Treynor watershed

1974

1

82

Paper - "Water Erosion and Sedimentation"

1974

1

83

Report - "Soil and Water Conservation and Management"

1974

1

48

Research materials - conservation education tools for K-12 educators

1974-1982

1

49

Correspondence - terrace and tillage projects

1975

1

50

Report - "Conservation Tillage Research: an Inventory"

1976

1

51

Correspondence - soil and water conservation awareness

1976

1

52

Correspondence - youth workshops

1976

1

53

Correspondence - state crop and soil judging

1976

1

54

Paper - "Conservation Tillage Save Soil, Time, Energy

1976

1

84

Paper - "Non-point Sources of Pollution"

1976

1

85

Paper - "Soil and Water Conservation and Management Programs"

1977

1

86

Article - "Iowa Program for Soil Survey Education"

1978

1

87

Report - "Soil Conservation and Environmental Quality"

1978-1980

1

55

Paper - "Energy Conservation: Bonus for Conservation Tillage"

1979

1

56

Correspondence - water quality, non-point pollution

1979-1980

1

57

Extension publications - "Iowa Agriculture and Water Quality"

1980

1

58

Radio interview - text of conversation

1980

1

59

Press release - Soil and Water Conservation Week packet

1980

1

60

Correspondence - "Economics of Best Management Practices - Phase II"

1982

1

61

Proposal - "Proposed BMP-II Project Plan"

1982

1

62

Research materials - conservation education tools for K-12 educators, teaching packets

1982

1

88

Publication (Extension) - "Is Conservation Tillage Increasing in Iowa?"

1982

1

63

Research materials - environmental education tools for K-12 educators curriculum guide

1983

1

89

Paper - "Conservation Tillage" for Soil and Water Conservation Week

1983

1

64

Correspondence - conservation practices

1983-1984

1

65

Correspondence - Jerry DeWitt and Dean Vivan Jennings

1984-1985

1

66

Article - "Structures and Methods for Controlling Water Erosion"

1985

1

67

Soil and Water Conservation packet

1987

1

68

Correspondence - John Pesek

1988

1

69

Program - Increasing Soil and Water Conservation

1988

1

70

Booklet - teacher's guide for "The Japanese-American Experience - Our Story" (Japanese-American internment as experienced by Min and Grace Amemiya)

1988

1

71

Article - "Influence of Aggregate Size on Soil Moisture Retention"

undated

1

72

Article - "Model for Soil Survey Education: the Iowa Program"

undated

1

73

Paper - "What Causes Soil Erosion and How to Control It"

undated

1

74

Proposal - "Increasing Soil and Water Conservation in Iowa"

undated

1

75

Research materials - conservation education tools for adult educators

undated

1

90

Paper - "Fall Tillage Alternatives"

undated

1

91

Paper - "Farming on Ridges"

undated

1

92

Paper - "Soil Conservation on Expanded Row Crop Acres"

undated

1

93

Paper - "What About One-pass Tillage Planting Systems?"

undated

1

94

Report - "Soil Surveys and Agricultural Land Valuation

undated