Description
Papers of James Arnold, chemist, professor, and scholar. The collection documents Arnold's professional career, especially
his work on Carbon-14 dating, gamma rays, the Apollo 11, 12, 15, and 16 missions, lunar sample research, meteorites, solar,
and lunar history. The collection is also rich in materials related to NASA and the early history of UCSD. The collection
includes grant proposals, materials related to research projects such as data, discussion of experiments and results, meeting
minutes from both science and UCSD committees, and audiorecordings. Some prominent names found in the collection are Robert
N. Hamburger, Martin Kamen, Willard F. Libby, Roger Revelle, Hans Suess, Harold Urey and Herbert York. The material dates
from 1946-1993, with the bulk dating in the 1960s and 1970s. The collection occupies 31.95 linear feet and is arranged in
twelve series: 1) CORRESPONDENCE, 2) PROPOSALS, 3) RESEARCH PROJECTS, 4) PRE-APOLLO AND APOLLO MISSION RELATED MATERIALS,
5) WRITINGS BY ARNOLD, 6) COMMITTEES, 7) CONFERENCES AND MEETINGS, 8) TEACHING MATERIALS, 9) BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIALS AND AWARDS,
10) WRITINGS BY OTHERS, 11) AUDIO-VISUAL MATERIALS, and 12) ORIGINALS OF PRESERVATION PHOTOCOPIES.
The accession processed in 2000 spans the period 1955-1998 and includes awards and commendations, writings and talks, newspaper
clippings, NASA publications, and photographs. The prints, slides and a film reel show Arnold and his colleagues and students,
laboratories, equipment, testing, and cosmic and planetary features, many related to NASA's space exploration missions. The
accession is arranged in four series: 1) MISCELLANEOUS MATERIAL, 2) CORRESPONDENCE, 3) WRITINGS AND TALKS, and 4) PHOTOGRAPHS.
Background
James Richard Arnold (b.1923- ), professor and chemist, received his bachelor degree, masters, and Ph.D degrees at Princeton
University in 1943, 1945 and 1946 respectively. While doing graduate work, Arnold was associated with the Manhattan Project
for the years 1943-1945. After completing his Ph.D., he joined the newly formed Institute for Nuclear Studies at the University
of Chicago as a postdoctoral fellow, and in 1947, he went to Harvard University as a National Research Fellow.