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DESCRIPTION
The Research Corporation for Science Advancement Archives document the history and ideals of Research Corporation, a foundation established in 1912 for the advancement of science. The Archives document the period from 1896 to present day, with the bulk of material dating from the 1930s to 1950s. This is a living archive in which material will continue to be added as it becomes available. The archives are organized in nine distinct record series: history of the foundation; correspondence; biographical; grants; manuscripts; press; publications; activity files; and photographs. In addition, there are five "special archives," containing the papers of people who have had a major impact on the foundation. These include Rachel Brown and Elizabeth Hazen; Frederick Gardner Cottrell; Grote Reber; Charles H. Townes; and Robert R. Williams and Robert E. Waterman. All series are fully processed.
The Archives' primary focus is the history, resources, activities and people of the Foundation. These materials are available to the foundation community as well as scholars, authors and researchers who are interested in the impact of the foundation's activities on the history of scientific development in America. To that end, the archives collect, preserve and make available for research institutional archives, manuscripts, personal papers, organizational records, visual materials, books and memorabilia. Papers pertaining to former grantees are a particular strength of the collection.
Sadly, only published materials have been collected for the past 30-plus years, leaving the archives lacking in recent communications and planning materials. Personal communications, the "human touch" as it were, are the heart of any archive. Collection development and records retention policies are being written to correct this omission. This is a living archive; as additional materials become available, they will be incorporated into the collection.
HISTORY
Research Corporation is a foundation dedicated to support the advancement of science; to that end, the Foundation's grants making is directed toward scientific research. Today, Research Corporation funds the work of scientists who teach and conduct research in colleges and universities in the United States. The Research Corporation Archive serves as the final repository of the historical records of Research Corporation. It also documents a number of significant advancements in the history of science.
The early 1900s were an exciting time in the history of science. The Industrial Revolution of the late 1800s had opened wide the doors of exploration and discovery. Rapid industrial growth began in England and spread over the next 50 years to many other countries, including the United States. With progress came pollution and by the early 1900s, pollution from smokestacks was a significant problem in the country's big cities. Looking for ways to deal with this nasty by-product of modernization, chemist Frederick Gardner Cottrell invented the electrostatic precipitator, a device that removes small polluting particles, such as smoke, dust or oil, from a gas (such as air) by passing the gas first through an electrically charged screen that gives a charge to the particles, then between two charged plates where the particles are attracted to one surface. The electrostatic precipitator not only reduced air pollution; it also retrieved valuable metals that had previously escaped from smokestacks.
Cottrell conceived Research Corporation as a business in which his revolutionary invention would be developed, sold and installed, using the proceeds to fund the work of other scientists. He first offered his patent to the Smithsonian Institution (with the proviso that the patent's earnings would be used to fund scientific experimentation). Cottrell wanted to fund serendipitous, courageous (aka "rarely funded") research. The Smithsonian declined Cottrell's offer on the basis that it did not want to enter into the business of active operations (such as patent management), but Charles Doolittle Walcott, then-Secretary of the Smithsonian, offered to help Cottrell establish a foundation to achieve his goal. Research Corporation, established in 1912, was the result of their collaboration. By the early 1920s, the precipitator had earned enough money to begin funding research, largely through the auspices of the Smithsonian.
After Cottrell's death in 1948, the foundation repositioned its focus. Managing the precipitator patent had provided excellent training in patent management, a new and important business in science. The foundation decided to concentrate its efforts in that direction, in order build the foundation's endowment and thus increase its granting potential. During the 1940s and 1950s, several scientists, who admired Cottrell's altruism, followed his example and donated their patents to the foundation. Key among those donations was the patents for nystatin, the synthesis of Vitamin B1 and cortisone. In 1954, Research-Cottrell, a wholly separate subsidiary, was established to continue work with electrostatic precipitators. In the mid-1960s, the Treasury Department suggested that tax-exempt foundations hold no more than 20 percent interest in for-profit entities. As a result, Research Corporation began divesting its shares of Research-Cottrell, first to 21 percent and by 1983 the Foundation no longer held any stock in the company. Research Corporation had completed its transition to patent management and eleemosynary endeavors.
In the early 1980s, in response to new tax laws, Research Corporation separated its for-profit and non-profit identities. The patent management facet of the foundation became a separate business, Research Corporation Technologies (http://www.rctech.com/), and the philanthropic side remained Research Corporation (http://rescorp.org).
Of course, the Archives reflect all of these changes, providing a fascinating example of the inspiration and fluidity required to influence science.
ACQUISITION
These papers were created by the foundation.
ACCESS
In order to ensure privacy, minutes of Board of Directors meetings less than 25 years old are restricted. There are no other restrictions to access of this collection. Potential researchers should contact: Dena McDuffie, Archivist, Research Corporation for Science Advancement, 4703 East Camp Lowell Drive, Suite 201, Tucson, Arizona 85712, by calling (520) 571-1111, or email <mcduffie@rescorp.org> in order to discuss a research plan and to arrange access to materials.
COPYRIGHT
Requests for permission to publish material from this collection should be sent in writing, addressed to: Dena McDuffie, Archivist, Research Corporation for Science Advancement, 4703 East Camp Lowell Drive, Suite 201, Tucson, Arizona 85712; by FAX 571-1119; or by email <mcduffie@rescorp.org>
PROCESSING
The collection was processed and the finding aid written by Dena McDuffie in 2006-2008.
PREFERRED CITATION
Courtesy of Research Corporation for Science Advancement, a foundation dedicated to science since 1912.
ARRANGEMENT
The collection is arranged topically in ten distinct record series. All current material is fully processed. A description of each series follows:
Record series I: History of the Foundation. Includes early correspondence relating to the founding of Research Corporation, by-laws and certificate of incorporation, employment policies, real estate, activities of the organization, patents and related businesses. Includes documents pertaining to Research Corporation, copied from the Smithsonian Archives (arranged topically). Folders 1-270
Record series II: Correspondence. Correspondence between Walter A. Schmidt (president of Western Precipitation), Cottrell and Poillon comprises the largest single correspondence in the collection with 16 folders containing letters dating from 1928 to 1944. One note from Poillon, dated October 7, 1931, remarks "I have received today about four pounds of letters from you."]. Other notable correspondents in this series are Alexander Graham Bell, Vannevar Bush, Albert Einstein and E.O. Lawrence, among many others (arranged alphabetically by author, and then chronologically). Folders 271-363
Record series III: Biographical. Contains background information about employees, scientists, grantees and others interested and/or involved in the Foundation's mission (arranged alphabetically). Folders 364-432
Record series IV: Grants. Includes information about early grant activities; scrapbooks of grant announcements; official "Reports on Research" dating from 1931 to 1941; and individual grant programs (arranged chronologically). Folders 433-625
Record series V: Manuscripts. Contains "Internal Annual Reports" dating from 1926 to 1990; miscellaneous reports and speeches (arranged chronologically). Folders 626-683
Record series VI: Press. Includes press releases issued by Research Corporation from 1945 to present (arranged chronologically). Folders 684-691
Record series VII: Publications. Articles published about the Foundation dating from 1896 to present; miscellaneous news clippings from the 1940s to present; publications written and published by Research Corporation dating from 1917 to 1991; annual reports 1924 to present; and books published by Research Corporation from 1952 to present (arranged chronologically). Folders 692-924
Record series VIII: Activity Files. Projects including Research Corporation's work with the Tennessee Valley Authority; Nobel Prize winners whose work was supported in part by the Foundation; Research Corporation Awards (1925-1969); speeches; and operations. (arranged alphabetically) Folders 925-1048
Record series IX: Photographs. Includes photographs of employees, members of the Board of Directors, scientists, significant locations, colleges and universities (arranged topically). Folders 1049-1054
Record series X: Special Archives. Papers pertaining to the work and philanthropy of Rachel Brown and Elizabeth Hazen (Folders 1055-1094); Frederick Gardner Cottrell (Folders 1095-1134); Grote Reber (Folders 1135-1144); Charles Hard Townes (Folders 1145-1157); and Robert R. Williams and Robert Waterman (Folders 1158-1315)
Box and Folder List PDF [430kb] |