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Finding Aid for the Aron Kuppermann Papers 1946-2012
10269-MS
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Title: Aron Kuppermann Papers,
Date (inclusive): 1946-2012
Collection number: 10269-MS
Creator: Kuppermann, Aron 1926-2011
Extent:
47 linear feet
Repository:
California Institute of Technology. Caltech Archives
Pasadena, California 91125
Abstract: Aron Kuppermann (1926-2011) was a leader in the field of computational chemistry and was best known for his theoretical studies
of the dynamics of chemical reactions. During his many years at Caltech (1963-2011), Kuppermann also worked as a consultant
for the World Bank on projects of Science and Technology in Brazil, China, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, and Uganda from 1983
to 2005. His papers reflect his avid interest in both scientific research and teaching.
Physical location: Archives, California Institute of Technology.
Languages represented in the collection: English Portuguese
The collection is open to researchers with the exception of three files (29.8, 31.6, and 31.7) that remain closed indefinitely
for reasons of confidentiality and privacy. Researchers must apply in writing for access.
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.
[Identification of item], Aron Kuppermann Papers, 10269-MS, Caltech Archives, California Institute of Technology.
The Aron Kuppermann Papers were given to the Caltech Archives by Mrs. Roza Kuppermann, Aron Kuppermann's widow, in 2012-2013.
Aron Kuppermann was born in São Paulo, Brazil on May 6, 1926. He received his BS in Chemical Engineering in 1948, and another
in Civil Engineering in 1952, both from the University of São Paulo. In 1955 he received his Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from
the University of Notre Dame. From 1955 to 1963 he taught at the University of Illinois. He was appointed professor of Physical
Chemistry at the California Institute of Technology in 1963, where he spent the rest of his academic career until his retirement
in 2010.
Along his academic career, Professor Kupperman worked as a consultant for many organizations such as the Argonne National
Laboratory, the Armour Research Foundation, and Instituto de Energia Atómica in São Paulo, Brazil, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory,
and the World Bank.
Kuppermann was a member of the advisory board of the International Journal for Radiation Physics and Chemistry (1968-1976)
and a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Physical Chemistry (1965-1970). He was a member of the Joint U.S.-Brazil
Science Cooperation Program on Graduate Teaching and Research in Chemistry between 1969 and 1973 and served as its chairman
from 1973 until 1976.
The Kuppermann Papers have been divided into nine series, organized in one hundred and eight archival boxes: Correspondence
(1); World Bank (2); California Institute of Technology (3); Teaching (4); Writings and Publications (5); Talks, Conferences,
and Meetings (6); Research Files (7); Computing (8); and Biographical and Personal Material (9).
Series 1, Correspondence, is divided into two subseries. The first one contains mail logs of Kuppermann's incoming and outgoing
mail from 1989 until 2011. The second subseries contains the actual correspondence ranges from the early 1950s to 2010, organized
in chronological order, as was kept by Professor Kuppermann himself. Researchers may use the mail logs as a reference index
to help them navigate this series. In the fall of 1953, while a graduate student at the University of Notre Dame, Kuppermann
sent out letters to a number of prominent physicists, such as, Albert Einstein, Enrico Fermi, W. Heisenberg, Wolfgang Pauli,
Leonard Isaac Schiff, and Inge-Ernst Sommerfeld. Copies of this unique correspondence can be found in series 8, Box 105.11,
entitled: Seminar on Bohm's paper.
Kuppermann's massive involvement with the World Bank is documented in Series 2. From 1983 to 2005 he worked for this organization
as a consultant on projects of Science and Technology. He was responsible for reviewing progress in the implementation of
the chemistry and chemical engineering, biotechnology, and geosciences programs in Brazil, China, Mexico, Argentina, Chile,
and Uganda. Folders in this series are arranged by the World Bank specific mission in a chronological order and contain correspondence,
reports, travel documents, and support material related to the specific mission.
Kuppermann's massive involvement with the World Bank is documented in Series 2. From 1983 to 2005 he worked for this organization
as a consultant on projects of Science and Technology. He was responsible for reviewing progress in the implementation of
the chemistry and chemical engineering, biotechnology, and geosciences programs in Brazil, China, Mexico, Argentina, Chile,
and Uganda. Folders in this series are arranged by the World Bank specific mission in a chronological order and contain correspondence,
reports, travel documents, and support material related to the specific mission.
Professor Kuppermann's passion for teaching is documented in series 4. This series contains his teaching material from the
University of Illinois (1955-1963) and Caltech (1970-2010). Kuppermann taught many classes yet his signature course at Caltech
was Chemistry 125. Researchers can find here his lecture notes, as well as class assignments and exams. He was awarded the
1999 Excellence in Mentoring Award by the Caltech Graduate Student Council (GSC) and the Classroom Teaching Award in 2010.
Series 5, Writings and Publications, is divided into two subseries. The first one contains Kuppermann's unpublished manuscripts
(in Portuguese and English) and reviews of manuscripts and proposals of others. The second subseries contains Kuppermann's
reprints arrange in chronological order according to his list of publications that can be found in Series 9, Biographical
and Personal Material (Folder 104.10) .Folders in this series contain a wide variety of related documents, from graphs and
illustrations to calculations and related correspondence.
Kuppermann's travel files were organized within Series 6. They include his talks and lectures in conferences and meetings.
A wide variety of talk-related documents, from talk outlines and notes to related correspondence, are organized in chronological
order. For a complete view of Kuppermann's travel files researchers may want to consult his appointment books located in Series
9, Biographical and Personal Material (Folders 108.13-108.16).
Series 7, Research Files, is divided into two subseries. The first one contains proposals and grants Kuppermann submitted
to a variety of organizations in order to fund his research over the years. The second subseries contain Kuppermann's technical
files.
Kuppermann's interest in the dynamics of chemical reactions led him to use supercomputers in his research for predicting the
cross sections and rates of chemical reactions from first quantum mechanical principles. Series 8 shows Kuppermann's involvement
with parallel computers research at San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC) and Caltech.
Series 9, Biographical and Personal Material, includes records of Kuppermann's early and later education, biographical listings,
awards and honors, news clippings, and interviews.
For further biographical information, researchers should refer to his oral history, conducted by Shirley K. Cohen between
July-November 2001, which is deposited in the Caltech Archives. An online version can be found online at: http://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechOH:OH_Kuppermann_A.
The collection is organized into the following series:
- Series 1. Correspondence
- Series 2. World Bank 1983- 2005
- Series 3. California Institute of Technology
- Series 4. Teaching
- Series 5. Writings and Publications
- Series 6. Talks and Meetings
- Series 7. Research Files
- Series 8. Computing
- Series 9. Biographical and Personal Material