Judith R. Goodstein Papers, 1940 - 2022, bulk 1968 - 2009

View only results with digital items
Printable guide [HTML]

Summary

Extent:
3.34 linear feet (8 archival boxes and audiovisual materials)
Language:
English , Italian

Background

Scope and content:

The Judith R. Goodstein papers illustrate Goodstein's contributions to historical research, the history of science, and her role as the first University Archivist at Caltech. The collection consists of correspondence, research notes, lectures, and writings. The papers cover some of her early career, but the collection is primarily comprised of her work at Caltech, research, and her publications.

Biographical / historical:

Judith Ronnie Goodstein (née Koral), born 1939, is an American historian of science, historian of mathematics, archivist, and author. She is University Archivist Emeritus at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech).

Goodstein was born on July 8, 1939, in Brooklyn, New York. She attended Erasmus Hall High School and graduated from Brooklyn College in 1960 with a bachelor's degree in history. Her interest in the history of science began as an undergraduate when she attended a graduate-level class taught by Carl Benjamin Boyer. Judith's other faculty mentor at Brooklyn College was John Hope Franklin.

She and her fiancé, David Goodstein, applied to graduate schools around the country—she in history of science and he in physics. At Boyer's suggestion, she went to the University of Washington, where Harry Woolf hired her as an assistant. Judith successfully defended her Ph.D. in 1968; her dissertation, "Chemical Theory and the Nature of Matter," concerned chemist Humphry Davy. Her doctoral advisor was Thomas Hankins.

In 1966, she and her husband moved to Caltech. She worked as a teacher while completing her dissertation and spent a year in Rome for her husband's post-doctorate. In 1968, Caltech historian of science, Daniel Kevles hired Judith as Caltech's Institute Archivist. Her role was to create, administer, and organize the personal records and manuscripts of the faculty and administration. The archives would grow to document Caltech's culture and student life.

During her time at Caltech, Judith was a faculty associate and lecturer, often sharing the fascinating history of Caltech and its people. From 1969 to 1973, she taught the history of science at California State University, Dominguez Hills, and later at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and Caltech. From 1989 to 2003, Goodstein served as Caltech's Registrar and remained the archivist, becoming the University Archivist in 1995.

Goodstein has also lectured at several institutions worldwide, including the American Philosophical Society, Harvard University and San Francisco State University, National Academy of the Lincei, University of Rome (La Sapienza), University of Turin, and Japan's University of Tokyo.

In addition to authoring numerous articles, oral histories, and book reviews on many subjects, in particular the history of chemistry and mathematics in Italy and science in America, Goodstein also created, wrote, and narrated historical vignettes on "Airtalk: The Caltech Edition," broadcast monthly on KPCC. Goodstein's books include Einstein's Italian Mathematicians: Ricci, Levi-Civita, and the Birth of General Relativity (2018), The Volterra Chronicles (2007), Millikan's School: A History of the California Institute of Technology (2006) and Feynman's Lost Lecture, with her husband David Goodstein (1996), translated into several foreign languages.

Judith retired as University Archivist Emeritus in 2009.

For more information on Judith Goodstein, see the transcript of her 2014 oral history interview with Sara Lippincott at Caltech Oral Histories.

Processing information:

Jo Krajeski processed the collection between July and August 2024.

Duplicate reprints and documents were removed and recycled. VHS tapes removed: (See Caltech record) Watson Lecture: Memories of Caltech Past (VHS); Video Only, Watson Lecture (VHS); AirTalk recorded 1989 May 24, on file at Caltech

Arrangement:

The Judith R. Goodstein papers are stored in eight archival boxes. The papers have been arranged in six series, with two containing sub-series arrangements.

Series 1: Correspondence is arranged into two sub-series. Sub-series 1: Correspondence, General is organized alphabetically by individual or entity names. For general correspondence folders, contents are arranged by the corresponding first letter of the correspondent's surname; if unavailable, then first letter of given name. Sub-series 2: Research Correspondence, arranged alphabetically by subject or original file name, includes research correspondence pertaining to subjects of interest for later publications. Subjects include Levi-Civita, Volterra, Enriques, and Segre.

Series 2: Research is arranged alphabetically by subject or original file name. Research, arranged alphabetically by subject or original file name, includes original research and research notes.

Series 3: Writing, Talks, and Lectures is arranged into two sub-series. Sub-series 1: Writing, general, arranged alphabetically by subject, title, or original folder name, includes drafts, reprints, book reviews, proposals, Caltech publications, and oral histories. Sub-series 2: Talks and Lectures, arranged alphabetically by subject, title, or original folder name, includes lectures or talks given at various locations worldwide, and at Caltech.

Series 4: Subject Files are arranged alphabetically by subject or original file name, includes teaching notes, letters of recommendations, Caltech or archives administration, and professional associations.

Series 5: Personal and biographical, arranged alphabetically by individual, subjects, or original file name. Personal correspondence includes personal incoming and outgoing letters, sorted alphabetically by surname, if available. Personal ephemera includes newspaper clippings, press coverage, awards, images, CVs, and biographical write-ups.

Series 6: Audiovisual, includes VHS, Compact Disc, and DVD formats. Audiovisual contents include Goodstein recorded lectures, slideshows, appearances on AirTalk, and Caltech convocations.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Location of this collection:
1200 E. California Blvd.
MC B215-74
Pasadena, CA 91125, US
Contact:
(626) 395-2704
archives@caltech.edu
Website