Guide to the Charles A. Lave papers MS.F.030

Finding aid prepared by Michelle Light, 2008; machine-readable finding aid created by Cyndi Shein, 2008.
Special Collections and Archives, University of California, Irvine Libraries
(cc) 2008
The UCI Libraries
P.O. Box 19557
University of California, Irvine
Irvine 92623-9557
spcoll@uci.edu


Contributing Institution: Special Collections and Archives, University of California, Irvine Libraries
Title: Charles A. Lave papers
Creator: Lave, Charles A.
Identifier/Call Number: MS.F.030
Physical Description: 16 Linear Feet (16 boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1960-2008
Abstract: The collection comprises the papers of economics professor Charles A. Lave, pioneer in the field of transportation economy and co-founder of the Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California, Irvine (UCI). Materials document his research on mass transit, fuel economy and other areas.
Language of Material: English .

Access

The collection is open for research.

Publication Rights

Property rights reside with the University of California. Literary rights are retained by the creators of the records and their heirs. For permissions to reproduce or to publish, please contact the Head of Special Collections and Archives.

Preferred Citation

Charles A. Lave papers. MS-F030. Special Collections and Archives, The UC Irvine Libraries, Irvine, California. Date accessed.
For the benefit of current and future researchers, please cite any additional information about sources consulted in this collection, including permanent URLs, item or folder descriptions, and box/folder locations.

Acquisition Information

Gift of Lave's wife, Bethany Mendenhall in 2008.

Processing History

Processed by Michelle Light and Cyndi Shein in 2008.

Processing Note

This collection has been minimally processed. All dates are approximate.

Biography

Charles A. Lave was a pioneer in transportation economy and a driving force behind the social science programs at the University of California, Irvine (UCI). Lave began his academic career at UCI in 1966 as one of the first faculty members in the School of Social Science. Although he spent his entire academic career at UCI, he also held visiting faculty positions at other universities, including MIT, Harvard, Berkeley, and Stanford. Lave served UCI throughout his career; he co-founded the Institute of Transportation Studies, served as faculty chair four times, and served as chair of the Economics Department four times. Lave was also instrumental in establishing UCI's faculty housing, University Hills, and served as its first chairman of the board of directors. Lave served on almost every Academic Senate committee, frequently as chair or co-chair. He served as the vice-chair and faculty representative to the design committee for UCI's Social Science Plaza buildings. Lave was also very concerned with improving students' abilities to communicate clearly and, to that end, was very active on UCI's Writing Task Force.
Lave oversaw the design and approval of UCI's Ph.D. program in Economics, followed later by its innovative Ph.D. programs in Transportation Science and Transportation Economics. An expert in energy use, he was also known for his carefully reasoned opposition to rail transit systems and the practice of reducing speed limits to reduce transportation energy consumption. Lave also played a major role in an influential National Research Council Report on the energy and safety impacts of U.S. light duty vehicle fuel economy standards.
Lave was an early proponent of interdisciplinary research and co-authored several papers with anthropologists and engineers. He also co-authored an introductory textbook on interdisciplinary social science studies. Lave remained active after his retirement from UCI in 1999. His extraordinary service and accomplishments were recognized through the UCI Alumni Association's Extraordinarius Award in 1993 and the Daniel G. Aldrich Distinguished University Service Award in 2000.

Biographical/Historical note

Chronology

1938 May Born in Pennsylvania.
1960 Earns B.A. in Political Science from Reed College.
1966 Joins faculty of Department of Economics at UCI.
1968 Earns Ph.D. in Economics from Stanford University.
1975 An Introduction to Models in the Social Sciences
1976 Founding member of Institute of Transportation Studies at UCI.
1978-1981 Chairs the Faculty of the School of Social Sciences at UCI.
1978-1983 Chairs the Department of Economics at UCI.
1979 Education and Cognitive Development: The Evidence from Experimental Research
1980 An Introduction to Models in the Social Sciences
1983-1984 Chairs the Faculty of the School of Social Sciences at UCI.
1983-1987 Chairs the Board of Directors of University Hills at UCI.
1985 Urban Transit: The Private Challenge to Public Transportation.
1985-1986 Chairs the Department of Economics at UCI.
1987 Receives Pyke Johnson award for outstanding paper at the 65th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board.
1987-1988 Chairs the Faculty of the School of Social Sciences at UCI.
1989-1992 Chairs the Department of Economics at UCI.
1991-1997 Serves as representative for the American Economics Association on the Board of Directors of the National Bureau of Economic Research.
1993 Receives Extraordinarius Award from UCI for outstanding career contribution in community service, research, and teaching.
1994 An Introduction to Models in the Social Sciences
1994-1997 Chairs the Faculty of the School of Social Sciences at UCI.
1995 Associate director of the Institute of Transportation Studies at UCI.
1995-1997 Director of the Graduate Program in Transportation Sciences at UCI.
2000 Receives Daniel G. Aldrich Distinguished University Service Award, the highest honor given at UCI.
2001 Granted professor emeritus status at UCI.
2008 UCI Economics Department establishes an endowment in Lave's memory, the Charles A. Lave Paper Prize for the most Creative Modeling in Social Sciences.

Collection Scope and Content Summary

The collection comprises the papers of economics professor Charles A. Lave, pioneer in the field of transportation economy and co-founder of the Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California, Irvine (UCI). Materials document his research on mass transit, fuel economy and other areas. Materials include speeches, reprints, correspondence, notes, articles, reports, clippings, UCI teaching files, photographs, and subject files.

Collection Arrangement

This collection is arranged in three series.
  • Series 1. Professional files, 1960-2008. 3 linear feet
  • Series 2. Subject files, 1971-2006. 11.2 linear feet
  • Series 3. University of California, Irvine files, 1972-1999. 1.8 linear feet

Separation Note

Multiple publications were removed from this collection and cataloged separately in the library's online catalog Library Search. 
University of California, Irvine. School of Social Sciences. Department of Economics. "Spotlight: Charles Lave." University of California, Irvine. August 8, 2008. http://www.economics.uci.edu/?p=139 (accessed August 20, 2008).
University of California, Irvine. School of Social Sciences. Department of Economics. "Charles A. Lave, Curriculum Vitae." University of California, Irvine. August 8, 2001. http://www.economics.uci.edu/personnel/lave/lave.html (accessed August 20, 2008).

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Economists.
Photographic prints
Social scientists.
Transportation, Automotive -- United States -- History -- Sources
Transportation -- California -- 20th century
Urban transportation -- California
Local transit -- United States
University of California, Irvine. Institute of Transportation Studies
University of California, Irvine -- Faculty -- Archives
Lave, Charles A. -- Archives
University Hills (Irvine, Calif.) -- Archives

 

Professional files Series 1. 1960-2008

Physical Description: 3 Linear Feet
General Physical Description note: no content

Series Scope and Content Summary

This series contains biographical information about Lave, his writings, reprints, speeches, awards, and a few photographs. Early writings include papers he wrote when he was student.

Arrangement

This series is arranged by type of record.
box 14

Vitas 2001-2008

box 14, box 15

Writings and reprints 1960-1990, undated

box 14

Speeches and talks 1997-2001, undated

box 16

Framed photographs and awards undated

 

Subject files Series 2. 1971-2006

Physical Description: 11.2 Linear Feet
General Physical Description note: no content

Series Scope and Content Summary

This series contains correspondence, notes, articles, reports, and clippings related to Lave's research interests. Also contains a video recording.

Arrangement

This series is arranged by topic.
box 1

Venetian blinds and child safety 2004, undated

box 1, box 11

Speed limits 1988-1999, undated

box 1

Transportation Research Board: transit policy 1998-1999, undated

box 1, box 2

National Research Council: capital transit projects 2005

box 2, box 3

Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFé) 1993-2005, undated

box 3

Vehicle safety 1976-2000, undated

box 3

Vehicle miles traveled (VMT): California 1993-1994, undated

box 3

Growth of the auto industry 1989-1995, undated

box 3

Metrolink (Southern California commuter train) 2005-2006, undated

Scope and Contents note

Includes 1 VHS tape.
box 4

Transportation Research Board: bus accidents 1996-1999, undated

box 4

Fuel economy 1985-1992, undated

box 4, box 5

Transit (mostly Southern California) 1989-2005, undated

box 5

Bus operator absenteeism 1978-1983, undated

box 5

Transit system labor (wages and work rules) 1983-1986, undated

box 5

Transit performance 1984-1988

 

Vehicle miles traveled (VMT) 1990-1998, undated

box 6

Urban form

box 6

Nationwide Personal Transportation Survey (NPTS)

box 6

Non-NPTS

box 6, box 7

Residential Transportation Energy Consumption Survey (RTCES)

box 7

World

box 7, box 8

Summer

box 8

Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Commission 1976-1983, 1993, undated

box 8

Transit and energy 1971-1990, undated

box 8

Cost of part-time operators (PTO) 1986-1995, undated

box 9, box 10

Transit productivity 1972-1997, undated

box 9

Transit operating results 1985, 1987

box 9

Auctions 1987-2002, undated

box 9, box 10

Environmental risks 1983-2006, undated

box 10

Methanol 1986-1989, undated

box 10

High speed rail 1995

box 10

BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) 1974-1977, undated

box 10

Accidents, time of day undated

box 11, box 12

Miscellaneous 1993, undated

 

University of California, Irvine files Series 3. 1972-1999

Physical Description: 1.8 Linear Feet
General Physical Description note: no content

Series Scope and Content Summary

This series primarily contains files on Lave's service to UCI, including the early planning of UCI faculty housing, documentation on a task force to improve the caliber of student writing, and Lave's teaching files. The teaching files include syllabi, reading lists, notes, tests, and articles. The series also includes documentation on Jaguar, a computer program he helped create for statistical regressions.

Arrangement

This series is arranged by topic or project.
box 12

University Hills / Irvine Campus Housing Authority 1990-1992, undated

box 12

Writing Task Force and undergraduate writing 1984-1998, undated

box 13, box 16

Teaching files 1972-1999, undated

box 16

Jaguar documentation undated