Preliminary Guide to the Ronald L. Kathren Papers

Preliminary Guide to the Ronald L. Kathren Papers, circa 1955-1999

Overview of the Collection

Creator: Kathren, Ronald L.
Title: Preliminary Guide to the Ronald L. Kathren Papers
Dates: circa 1955-1999 (inclusive)
19551999
Quantity: 27.71 Linear feet of shelf space, (28 Boxes) : Boxes contain hanging folders--handle with special care.
Collection Number: MSSM 042 (collection)
Summary: This collection consists of materials related to the research of Ronald L. Kathren, a Professor of Pharmeceutical Sciences at Washington State University Tri-Cities.
Repository: Washington State University Libraries' Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections (MASC)
Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections
Terrell Library Suite 12
Pullman, WA
99164-5610
Telephone: 509-335-6691
mascref@wsu.edu
Access Restrictions: Most materials in this collection are open and available for research use. The exceptions are boxes 1-7 in accession MS.2005.07.02, which require MASC staff review in advance.
Languages: English

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Ronald L. Kathren was a professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Washington State Univerity Tri-Cities. He received his Bachelor of Science from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1957. He received his Masters of Science from the University of Pittsburgh in 1962 and continued his studies at the University of California, Berkley until 1964. Ron Kathren worked the majority of his career at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation in southeast Washington state. Prior to his work at Hanford, Kathren was employed at the Lawerence Livermore National Laboratory of the University of California. Kathren's work has been largely in the area of applied health physics, with emphasis on radiation dosimetry and instrumentation, environmental radioactivity, and the history of radiation protection. In 1967, Kathren began his work at Hanford as an employee of Battelle-Northwest. At Battelle, Kathren joined the Joint Center for Graduate Study in Richland, which became Washington State University, Tri-Cities. In 1988, Kathren became the director of the United States Transuranium and Uranium Registries. Kathren is a diplomate of the American Board of Health Physics and the American Academy of Environmental Engineers. Mr. Kathren has extensive experience in the field of health physics and has held prestigious positions on numerous health physics related committees. He was president of the Health Physics Society between 1988 and 1990. He also served as a consultant to the US Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards and Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste.

Sources: Finding Aid for the Ronald L. Kathren Collection, University of Tennessee Libraries, Knoxville, Special Collections.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

This collection consists of materials related to the research of Ronald L. Kathren, a Professor of Pharmeceutical Sciences at Washington State University Tri-Cities. The collection contains articles, reports, presentations, and grant proposals by Kathren on the physiological effects on radiation, the measurement of radiation, dosimetry (the measurement of radiation in the human body), and the history of nuclear physics. These materials include manuscripts for a compilation of the works of Herbert M. Parker and The Plutonium Story, which is about the discovery of plutonium by Glenn T. Seaborg. The collection also contains Kathren's notes, meeting minutes from professional committees and conferences, and some of Kathren's professional diaries. Lastly, the collection contains copies of a movie titled Treasure at 2500 Fathoms: Marine Manganese Nodules, by Ronald K. Sorem on several types of magnetic media.

Preliminary inventory, MS.2005.07.2:

Please note: Boxes 1-7 are restricted and require MASC staff review prior to researcher use.

Box 1. Correspondence (Kathren letterbooks for 1980, 1982, 1983, 1984); research record book (circa 1980s).

Box 2. Mixed papers, including correspondence.

Boxes 3-4. Mixed files.

Box 5. Research log books (1994-1998), Heat transfer files.

Box 6. Mixed files, including some on the Transuranium Registry.

Box 7. Correspondence (Kathren letterbooks for 1978, 1979, 1981); also Health Physics Society correspondence (1978-1980).

Box 8. United States government documents: printed records of hearings of the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy, 1940s-1950s.

Preliminary inventory, MS.2022.19: 1 box containing correspondence, reprints, photographs and an interview transcript. 1978-1992.

Preliminary inventory, MS.2023.14: 1 box containing correspondence, reprints, photographs, notes, 1 cassette tape, and a plaque. Circa 1958-1996.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Preferred Citation

[Item description]

Preliminary Guide to the Ronald L. Kathren Papers, circa 1955-1999 (MSSM 042)

Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

This is an unprocessed collection. Any arrangement reflects either a pre-existing order from the records' creators or previous custodians, or previous sorting performed by staff.

Location of Collection

(MASC staff use) MS 1999-21: 02-16-01-05, MS 2004-08: 02-09-18-01, MS 2005.07.2: 02-15-01-01; MS 2009-11: 02-11-10-01; MS.2022.19: 02-15-02-03; MS.2023.14: 02-12-02-03

Acquisition Information

This collection was donated to the Washington State University Libraries by Ron Kathren from 1999-2023 (MS 1999-21, MS 2004-08, MS 2005-07.2, 2009-11, MS 2022-19, MS 2023-14).

Separated Materials

Accession MS.2005.07.2 was received intermingled with an installment of the papers of J.P. Corley (MS.2005.07.1). The original accession, MS.2005.07, was divided into two separate accessions in 2019.

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

Nuclear power plants -- Designs and plans -- Archives
Radiation -- Physiological effect
Radiation dosimetry
Washington State University -- Faculty -- Archives

Personal Names

Kathren, Ronald L. -- Archives

Geographical Names

Hanford site (Wash.)

Other Creators

Personal Names
- Sorem, Ronald Keith (creator)

Archives West Finding Aid

Table of Contents