Description
The scientific and personal correspondence, teaching notes, writings and talks, biographical papers, and a small collection
of audiovisual material form the collection known as the Papers of John Todd and Olga Taussky-Todd in the Archives of the
California Institute of Technology (Caltech). Both mathematicians, John Todd and Olga Taussky-Todd arrived at Caltech in 1957,
respectively as a professor and a research associate. Olga Taussky-Todd was the first woman to receive a formal Caltech teaching
appointment and, in 1971, a full professorship. The Todds stayed at Caltech for the rest of their lives. Upon retirement both
became emeritus, but they both remained professionally active until their deaths: Olga Taussky-Todd in 1995 and John Todd
in 2007.
Background
John Todd and Olga Taussky-Todd, husband and wife, were European-born and -trained mathematicians who came permanently to
the United States in 1947 and to Caltech in 1957 to serve on the mathematics faculty. John Todd specialized in numerical analysis,
linear algebra, and computation. Olga Taussky-Todd was principally known for her contributions to matrix theory. She worked
under Richard Courant at the University of Göttingen and had direct contact with the circle around Emmy Noether both in Göttingen
and later at Bryn Mawr. The joint collection of papers documents primarily the Todds' professional life. A modest amount of
personal and biographical material is also included.
Restrictions
Copyright may not have been assigned to the California Institute of Technology Archives. All requests for permission to publish
or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Caltech Archivist. Permission for publication is given on behalf
of the California Institute of Technology Archives as the owner of the physical items and, unless explicitly stated otherwise,
is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader.
Availability
The collection is open for research. Researchers must apply in writing for access. Some files will remain closed for an indefinite
period. Researchers may request information about closed files from the Caltech Archivist.