"We heard he was a brilliant lecturer, and he certainly lived up to our expectations. It was brilliant, and it had a sort of
a human element and theatrical element of getting things across effectively. It was alive. You know, one was quite inspired
by it. He was more sort of god-like, superhuman, great figure."
- Maurice Wilkins, 1962 Nobel laureate, 1997
 Linus Pauling (1901-1994), a 1923 OSU graduate and the only recipient of two unshared Nobel Prizes, (Chemistry, 1954; Peace,
1962) undertook a wide range of studies during his seventy-year career as a scientist, humanitarian and peace activist. The
collection, comprised of over five hundred thousand items, contains all of Pauling's personal and scientific papers, research
materials, correspondence, photographs, awards, and memorabilia. Not only does the Pauling archive reflect Linus Pauling's
long and varied scientific career, the presence of Ava Helen Pauling's (1903-1981) papers also indicates their mutual devotion
to world peace and to each other.
In 1986, Linus Pauling, a Nobel Prize winner for both Chemistry and Peace, donated his scientific notebooks, all of his papers,
and the papers of his wife Ava Helen, an activist for peace, to Oregon State University, their alma mater. These papers chronicle
fundamental scientific discoveries of the twentieth century and historical events of the anti-nuclear peace movement. They
are an important source of information for researchers in many fields, and an unusually comprehensive and significant archive
of the intellectual development of a path-breaking scientist.Linus Pauling undertook a wide range of scientific investigations during his seventy-year career as a scientist, profoundly
influencing the development of twentieth-century chemistry and biology. Pauling also had a second career as a humanist and
peace activist. His inspiration to fight for social and moral justice came from his wife, Ava Helen, who championed peace
and women's causes throughout her life. The collection reflects Linus Pauling's long and varied scientific career, his and
Ava Helen's devotion to world peace, and their devotion to each other.The collection of nearly 500,000 items contains all of the Paulings' personal and scientific papers, research materials, correspondence,
photographs, awards and memorabilia. Among the most prominent items in the Collection are:
- The original manuscript for Linus Pauling's seminal 1931 paper, The Nature of the Chemical Bond, which Pauling called, "the best work I've ever done."
- The research notebooks and original manuscripts for a number of Pauling's influential works, including General Chemistry, The Architecture of Molecules, No More War!, and Vitamin C and the Common Cold.
- The original petition for nuclear disarmament presented to the United Nations, which contains the signatures of more than
9,000 scientists and Nobel laureates from around the world including Albert Schweitzer, Bertrand Russell and Albert Einstein.
- Letters from many leading twentieth-century figures, including James Watson, Francis Crick, Martin Luther King, Jr., J. Robert
Oppenheimer and John F. Kennedy.
- Linus Pauling's two Nobel medals.
The Ava Helen and Linus Pauling Papers is a huge collection, dating from Pauling's boyhood and the earliest years of his chemical
investigations to the months just before his death in 1994 at the age of 93. Letters, photos, filmed and taped interviews,
notebooks, journals and molecular models constructed by Pauling -- among the first such models ever made -- provide a unique
record of the life of one of the twentieth century's most influential and outspoken scientists.
Featured Web Sites
Linus Pauling Online - A new portal presenting all of our major Pauling websites.
The Pauling Blog - The Pauling Blog aims to present the stories of Linus and Ava Helen Pauling's fascinating lives in a format that is accessible
to a wide range of audiences.
It's in the Blood! A Documentary History of Linus Pauling, Hemoglobin and Sickle Cell Anemia - Revised and Expanded! This site explores Linus Pauling's research into how the blood works at the molecular level in addition
to other vital discoveries about immunology, sickle-cell anemia, genetics, evolution, and human health.
Linus Pauling and the Nature of the Chemical Bond: A Documentary History - Revised and Expanded! The story of Linus Pauling's Nobel Prize-winning research on the structure of molecules. Featuring
more than 2,500 pages of manuscripts and letters, and over four hours of audio and video.
Linus Pauling and the International Peace Movement: A Documentary History - Our newest site chronicles the lives of Linus and Ava Helen Pauling through their many years as peace activists. Over fifty
audio and video clips contribute to the telling of this fascinating story, which culminated in Linus Pauling's receipt of
the 1962 Nobel Prize for Peace.
Linus Pauling's Awards, Honors and Medals - High quality images of Linus Pauling's numerous awards, honors and medals. This site features multiple search options, including
browsing by decade, subject or key-word.
Linus Pauling and the Race for DNA: A Documentary History - More than 800 original letters, manuscripts, photographs, audio clips and video excerpts form the heart of this site which
chronicles the discovery of the structure of deoxyribonucleic acid, the basic foundation of life.
Linus Pauling Research Notebooks - A fully-indexed digital library of Pauling's 46 research notebooks. The materials span from 1922-1994, covering any number
of the scientific fields in which Dr. Pauling involved himself.
Linus Pauling: A Centenary Exhibit - An online exhibit that commemorates Pauling's many achievements over his lifetime. Materials are from both Special Collections
and OSU Archives.
Student Learning Curriculum
by Patricia D'Andrade. 1999.
17 pages. This reading curriculum is meant to give an introduction to Pauling’s scientific work and also to provide a brief look at
some of the personal and political aspects of his life. As the collection is so immense, the reading material suggested is
highly selective and not meant to be comprehensive. Links are provided to digitized material online when available.
Pauling Chronology
by Dr. Robert Paradowski. 2006.
28 pages. Written by biographer Robert Paradowski, the Pauling Chronology is the most detailed overview of Linus Pauling's ancestry,
life and work available on the web. Dozens of illustrations are incorporated throughout the Chronology to highlight key aspects
of Pauling's life. Likewise, the inclusion of hundreds of links to primary source materials provides numerous avenues for
deeper exploration of Pauling's fascinating story.
Biographical Note Quantity4437 linear feet, 1800 boxes
|
|
