Ralph Parkman Papers, 1966-2014

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Summary

Abstract:
This collection contains materials from Ralph Parkman's career in the Engineering Department at San José State University. Included are historical narratives about engineering programs and curricula, teaching materials, and related newspaper clippings.
Extent:
1 Box (.83 linear feet)
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Ralph Parkman Papers, MSS-2019-05-02, San José State University Library, Special Collections & Archives.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection is comprised of materials from Ralph Parkman's career in the Engineering Department at San José State University. It contains historical narratives by Professor Parkman (including notes from two presentations he gave in the 1960s) about the development of engineering programs and curricula, most notably the establishment of the Materials Engineering department at SJSU and the inception of the undergraduate engineering course, Cybernation and Man, that eventually grew into the interdisciplinary Cybernetic Systems masters program. The collection also contains teaching materials and a textbook authored by Dr. Parkman, The Cybernetic Society, as well as related newspaper clippings.

Biographical / historical:

Ralph Parkman was born in Cornwall, England in 1920. He earned a B.S. in Metallurgical Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh in 1941 and an M.S. and Ph.D. in the same field from Stanford University in 1949 and 1952 respectively. In between his undergraduate and graduate degrees (1944-1946) he served in the U.S. Navy. Dr. Parkman taught at Stanford University from 1952-1954 before joining the San José State College faculty in September of 1954.

Professor Parkman was instrumental in creating the Materials Engineering program at San José State. The original program, called Engineering Metallurgy, was introduced in 1957. He chaired the program during the 1960s. In 1965, Professor Parkman worked closely with the dean of engineering, Norman Gunderson, to launch Cybernation and Man, a new course which examined the effects of technology on society. Professor Parkman wrote the textbook for the course, The Cybernetic Society, published in 1972, and was a major contributor to the Cybernetic Systems masters program that grew out of the original class. During his career, Dr. Parkman also held visiting professor positions at the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School (1962) and the University of Hawaii (1964 and 1971). He retired from San José State University in 1985.

Processing information:

Collection processed by Fiona DuBrock in May 2019.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged alphabetically by material type.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

Collection is open for research.

Terms of access:

Copyright has not been assigned to San José State University Library Special Collections & Archives. All requests for permission to publish or quote from materials must be submitted in writing to the Director of Special Collections & Archives. Permission for publication is given on behalf of Special Collections & Archives as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader. Copyright restrictions also apply to digital reproductions of the original materials. Use of digital files is restricted to research and educational purposes.

Preferred citation:

Ralph Parkman Papers, MSS-2019-05-02, San José State University Library, Special Collections & Archives.

Location of this collection:
One Washington Square
San Jose, CA 95192-0028, US
Contact:
408-808-2062
special.collections@sjsu.edu
Website