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Biochemistry and Biophysics Department Records, 1942-1987

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Oregon State University. Dept. of Biochemistry and Biophysics.
Title
Biochemistry and Biophysics Department Records
Dates
1942-1987 (inclusive)
1960-1975 (bulk)
Quantity
1.3 cubic feet, including 20 photographs, (2 boxes)
5 microfilm reels
Collection Number
RG 178
Summary
The Biochemistry and Biophysics Department Records document research in biochemistry conducted at Oregon State University, graduate programs, the administration of the department, and the activities of faculty, especially Vernon H. Cheldelin and Robert W. Newburgh. The Biochemistry and Biophysics Department was established in 1967, but major research programs in biochemical research began in the early 1950s through the Science Research Institute.
Repository
Oregon State University Libraries, Special Collections and Archives Research Center
Special Collections and Archives Research Center
121 The Valley Library
Oregon State University
Corvallis OR
97331-4501
Telephone: 5417372075
Fax: 5417378674
scarc@oregonstate.edu
Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research.

Languages
English
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Historical Note

The Biochemistry and Biophysics Department was established as a separate academic department at Oregon State University in 1967. Prior to 1967, graduate degrees and undergraduate courses in biochemistry were offered through the Chemistry Department. Major research programs in biochemical research began at Oregon State in the early 1950s through the Science Research Institute (SRI), under the direction of Vernon H. Cheldelin, and the Agricultural Chemistry Department. Similarly, research in biophysics began in the early 1960s through SRI and the General Science Department.

Vernon H. Cheldelin joined the Oregon State College faculty in 1942 in the Department of Chemistry as a biochemist. Cheldelin was founding director of the Science Research Institute from 1952 until 1966 and also served as Dean of the School of Science from 1962 until 1965. A native of Clatskanie, Oregon, Cheldelin earned a BA from Reed College (1937), an MS from Oregon State College (1939), and a Ph.D. from the University of Texas (1941). Cheldelin served on the Corvallis School Board; Cheldelin Middle School, constructed in 1967, was named in his honor. Cheldelin died in 1966 at the age of 50.

Robert W. Newburgh was appointed acting chair at the time the department was established and selected as permanent chair in 1968. Newburgh continued as chair until 1976, when he was appointed Dean of the Graduate School. During this time, graduate and undergraduate degree programs in biochemistry and biophysics were inititated.

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Content Description

The Biochemistry and Biophysics Department Records document research in biochemistry conducted at Oregon State University, graduate programs, the administration of the department, and the activities of faculty, especially Vernon H. Cheldelin and Robert W. Newburgh. The collection includes substantive documentation of biochemical research conducted at Oregon State through the Science Research Institute prior to formal establishment of the department in 1967. The bulk of the collection is comprised of materials generated or assembled in the 1960s and 1970s.

The records include grant proposals and accounting records, correspondence, reports and publications, and photographs. Many of the grant proposals include detailed biographical information and lists of publications for faculty. The photographs consist of several portrait images of Vernon H. Cheldelin as well as photographs of him in his laboratory and office. Of special note in Subgroup 2 are materials documenting Vernon Cheldelin's participation in a 1959 curriculum study of Portland (Or.) High Schools.

The numbers that precede titles in the detailed description of the collection are the folder numbers as they appear on the microfilm or item numbers of photographs.

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Use of the Collection

Preferred Citation

Biochemistry and Biophysics Department Records (RG 178), Oregon State University Archives, Corvallis, Oregon.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

The records are arranged in 2 subgroups: 1. Departmental Files, 1958-1987 and 2. Faculty Files, 1942-1967. Subgroup 1 (Departmental Files) consists of 5 series: I. Research Grants and Awards, 1958-1967; II. Accounting Records, 1960-1966; III. Publications, 1969; IV. Subject Files, 1963-1987; and V. Photographs, circa 1960-1975. Subgroup 2 (Faculty Files) is comprised of 2 series: I. Vernon H. Cheldelin, 1942-1967 and II. Robert W. Newburgh, 1954-1966.

Processing Note

The photographs were originally described as a separate collection, the Biochemistry and Biophysics Department Photographs (P 107); they were transferred into this collection in 2011 and the photograph collection was closed.

Acquisition Information

The bulk of the materials were transferred to the Archives in several accessions in the late 1960s and 1970s.

Future Additions

Additions to the collection are expected.

Related Materials

Additional materials pertaining to biochemistry research and graduate programs at Oregon State are part of the Science Research Institute (RG 014), Chemistry Department (RG 098), and Agricultural Chemistry Department (RG 081) Records. The Archives holdings also include the papers of biochemists Joseph H. Butts and Robert W. Newburgh. The papers of Christopher Mathews, Distinguished Professor of Biochemistry and Department Chair from 1978 until 2002, are available in the OSU Libraries' Special Collections.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

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Subject Terms

  • Biochemistry--Study and teaching (Higher)--Oregon--Corvallis.
  • Education--Oregon--Portland--Curricula.
  • Research grants--Oregon--Corvallis.

Personal Names

  • Cheldelin, Vernon H.

Corporate Names

  • Oregon State College--Faculty.
  • Oregon State College--Graduate students.
  • Oregon State College--Graduate work.
  • Oregon State College--Research.
  • Oregon State College. Science Research Institute.
  • Oregon State University--Faculty.
  • Oregon State University--Graduate students.
  • Oregon State University--Graduate work.
  • Oregon State University--Research.
  • Oregon State University. Science Research Institute.
  • Portland Public Schools (Or.)

Form or Genre Terms

  • Film negatives.
  • Photographic prints.

Other Creators

  • Personal Names

    • Cheldelin, Vernon H. (creator)
    • Newburgh, Robert W. (Robert Warren), 1922- (creator)

Finding aid prepared by Bryce Henry, Karl McCreary, and Elizabeth Nielsen.
2011

CC Attribution
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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