Robert D. Burman papers, 1971-1989

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Burman, Robert D.
Title
Robert D. Burman papers
Dates
1971-1989 (inclusive)
Quantity
1.00 cubic ft. (1 box)
Collection Number
400072
Summary
Robert D. Burman was a faculty member at the University of Wyoming in the Colleges of Agriculture and Engineering. Collection contains slides, motion picture film, correspondence, photographs, postcards, clippings, and a scrapbook regarding Burman's travels and agricultural engineering work at Kabul University in Afghanistan.
Repository
American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming
American Heritage Center
University of Wyoming
1000 E. University Ave.
Dept. 3924
Laramie, WY
82071
Telephone: 3077663756
ahcref@uwyo.edu
Access Restrictions
Access Restrictions

There are no access restrictions on the materials for research purposes, and the collection is open to the public.

Languages
English

Historical NoteReturn to Top

Robert Burman (1926-2003) was a faculty member at the University of Wyoming for 33 years in the Colleges of Agriculture and Engineering; he retired in 1988. His teaching and research interest were in irrigation practices. Burman received his Bachelor of Science (1950) and Masters of Science (1959) degree in engineering from the University of Wyoming, and his PhD from Cornell University in 1968. Burman was also a registered Professional Engineer and Land Surveyor in the State of Wyoming, he remained active in engineering as a water rights consultant to the State of Wyoming and Denver, Colorado Water Board.

Burman traveled to Afghanistan for a six-week period during the summer of 1971 as an agricultural engineering consultant in connection with the University of Wyoming Afghanistan Contact AID/nesa-215. Under the aegis the University of Wyoming’s Faculty of Agriculture Project at Kabul University, he was to develop long-range relevant plans for irrigation studies on the UW Farm, establish a farm mechanics leadership option and refine course outlines and description within Kabul University’s agricultural engineering curriculum, and review the meteorological aspects of Afghanistan as it pertains to solar radiation and evapotranspiration studies. His work involved consulting with faculty of Agriculture and in the Engineering departments at Kabul University, plus the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation and officer of USAID/Kabul. While overseas, Burman also took an opportunity to visit Lebanon, Iran, Rome and India.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Collection contains color slides of Burman’s travels, mostly in Afghanistan, and color slides for conference presentations from 1977-1989. There are handwritten letters Burman wrote to his family. Some of the original letters have been kept by family members, but Burman’s wife, Mary Mortensen Burman, transcribed each letter he wrote; the transcriptions are included in the collection. The collection also includes postcards, photographs, an Afghan newspaper, guidebooks and etiquette books pertaining to Afghanistan, and Burman’s contract of employment for his work in Afghanistan. Also included are two 8mm films taken by Burman of his travels in Afghanistan, New Delhi, Beirut, Rome and Tehran.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Copyright Information

The researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.

Preferred Citation

Preferred Citation

Item Description, Box Number, Folder Number, Collection Name, Collection Number, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Related Materials

Related Materials

There are no known other archival collections created by Robert D. Burman at the date of processing.

Acquisition Information

Acquisition Information

This material was received from Mary M. Burman in October 2015.

Processing Note

Processing Information

The collection was processed by Jamie J. Greene in June 2016.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box
1 Film: Kabul, Afghanistan (8mm color) 1971
1 Film: New Delhi, Rome, Beirut, Tehran (8mm color) 1971
1 Letters from Afghanistan - Robert D. Burman to family 1971
1 Publication/maps: A Look into Afghanistan 1971
1 Scrapbook: contract, letters, color photography, maps, newspaper 1971
1 Slides: Afghanistan 1971
1 Slides: Burman - University of Wyoming 1971
1 Slides: Lectures and presentation material 1977-1989

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Agricultural engineering
  • Irrigation

Corporate Names

  • University of Wyoming -- Faculty
  • University of Wyoming. College of Agriculture
  • University of Wyoming. College of Engineering

Geographical Names

  • Afghanistan