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Table of contents What's This?
  • Immediate Source of Acquisition note
  • Information about Access
  • Ownership & Copyright
  • Cite As
  • Biographical/Historical Sketch
  • Related Collections
  • Description of the Collection
  • Arrangement

  • Language of Material: English
    Contributing Institution: Department of Special Collections and University Archives
    Title: William Shockley papers
    Identifier/Call Number: SC0222
    Physical Description: 491.5 Linear Feet
    Date (inclusive): 1860-2002
    Date (bulk): 1940-1988
    Abstract: Professional and personal papers relating to Professor Shockley's controversial interests in environment and genetic influences on intelligence; research on transistors and electronics; and science education. Also includes extensive family materials including diaries and correspondence.

    Immediate Source of Acquisition note

    Gift of Professor William B. Shockley, 1980 and 1986, and of Mrs. William B. Shockley, 1990, 1995, 2007 and 2008.

    Information about Access

    Accession ARCH-2007-198, boxes 183-185 are closed for 75 years from date of creation. Materials are otherwise open for research use. Audio-visual materials are not available in original format, and must be reformatted to a digital use copy.

    Ownership & Copyright

    Copyright has been transferred to Stanford University. All requests to reproduce, publish, quote from, or otherwise use collection materials must be submitted in writing to the University Archivist, Stanford University Libraries, Stanford, California 94304-6064.
    Restrictions also apply to digital representations of the original materials. Use of digital files is restricted to research and educational purposes.

    Cite As

    William Bradford Shockley Papers (SC0222). Department of Special Collections and University Archives, Stanford University Libraries, Stanford, Calif.

    Biographical/Historical Sketch

    Professor of engineering at Stanford (1958-1975; emeritus 1975-1989). Shockley was co-recipient of the Nobel Prize in physics, 1956.

    Related Collections

    Stanford University Archives also holds William Spicer's William Shockley and eugenics collection, 1965-1970 (SC0864)  ; Isabel Steiner Karkau's William Shockley and eugenics collection, 1966-1973 (SC0595),  ; and the papers of Shockley's father, the the William Hillman Shockley papers, circa 1860-circa 1920 (SC1108)  . The Hoover Institution also holds the William Shockley miscellaneous papers, 1980 (80124)  .

    Description of the Collection

    Professional and personal papers relating to Professor Shockley's controversial interests in environment and genetic influences on intelligence; research on transistors and electronics; and science education. Also includes extensive family materials including diaries and correspondence.

    Arrangement

    The original accession is arranged in three series: 2) Correspondence; 3) Correspondence Enclosures; 4) Shockley Family Papers. Ten subsequent accessions follow: 1986-050; 1986-087; 1990-117; 1990-126; 1995-153; 1999-178; 2007-198; 2007-276; 2008-315; 2008-337.
    Note: Audio recordings of Shockley's telephone conversations originally arranged as "Series 1" were later incorporated into the "Audiovisual material" subseries in Accession ARCH-2007-198. There is no series 1.

    Subjects and Indexing Terms

    Nobel Prize winners
    Intelligence tests
    Intelligence levels
    Electrical engineering -- California.
    Electronics
    Genetics.
    Electrical engineering -- Study and teaching.
    Transistors
    Science -- Study and teaching
    Stanford University. Department of Electrical Engineering. Faculty
    Shockley, William, 1910-1989
    Shockley, May Bradford