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Pierce (John R.) Papers
mssPierce
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Table of contents
Contributing Institution:
The Huntington Library
Title: John R. Pierce papers
Identifier/Call Number: mssPierce
Physical Description:
15.76 Linear Feet
(28 boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1929-1980
Abstract: Materials related to the life and
career of engineer and writer John R. Pierce, including correspondence; daybooks and
calendars; unpublished stories and manuscripts; and published writings including reprints,
papers, memoranda, and books.
Language of Material: Materials are in
English.
Open for use by qualified researchers and by appointment. Please contact Reader Services at
the Huntington Library for more information.
The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from
or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The
responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining
necessary permissions rests with the researcher.
[Identification of item]. John R. Pierce papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino,
California.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming, July 2004.
Engineer and writer John Robinson Pierce was born in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1910. Known for
his work with radio communication, microwave technology, computer music, and
psychoacoustics, Pierce earned his bachelor's master's, and PhD degrees at the California
Institute of Technology (Caltech) in the 1930s.
After finishing his PhD, Pierce worked at Bell Telephone Laboratories from 1936 to 1971,
then joined the faculty at Caltech where he taught until 1980. Pierce was also a chief
engineer at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory from 1979 to 1982. In 1983 he accepted a position
as Visiting Professor of Music, Emeritus, at the Center for Computer Research in Music and
Acoustics at Stanford University.
Pierce also wrote science fiction under the names John Pierce, John R. Pierce, and J. J.
Coupling. He died in 2002 in Sunnyvale, California, from complications of Parkinson's
Disease.
Materials related to the personal and professional life of John R. Pierce.
Correspondence is primarily from Pierce's time at Bell Labs and Caltech, and includes both
internal and external letters. Correspondents include academic and lawyer Nicholas Johnson,
former Commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission Lee Loevinger, engineer Edward
E. David Jr., and former President of Bell Labs William O. Baker. There is also the
correspondence of character Alexander Botts Jr., created by Pierce as an excercise in
imagining the letters a fictional engineer might write and receive.
Personal materials include daybooks and calendars used by Pierce; awards and certificates,
including his academic degrees; and biographical articles.
Manuscripts are primarily unpublished articles and stories, sometimes written under the
pseudonyms J.J. Coupling and John Pierce.
Professional materials include book reviews, technical memoranda written for Bell Labs,
scientific papers and reprints, and books. There is also a small amount of material related
to Pierce's time teaching at Caltech, as well as materials related to his work with IRCAM,
the Institute for Research and Coordination in Acoustics/Music.
Processed by Kelly Kress in May 2023.
Existence and Location of Copies
Selected audiovisual items from this collection have been digitized and are noted in the
contents list. Please contact Reader Services at the Huntington Library for access.
Organized in four series:
- Series 1. Correspondence, 1955-1980
- Series 2. Personal, 1929-1979
- Series 3. Manuscripts, 1932-1966
- Series 4. Professional, 1936-1980
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Communication models
Computer music -- 20th century
Telecommunications engineers -- United
States
Science fiction, American -- 20th century
Science writers -- California -- 20th century
Letters (correspondence)
Manuscripts
Technical reports
Baker, William O.
(William Oliver), 1915-2005
Bell Labs
David, Edward E., Jr.
(Edward Emil), 1925-2017
IRCAM (Research institute
: France)
Loevinger, Lee,
1913-2004
Johnson, Nicholas,
1934-
Pierce, John R. (John
Robinson), 1910-2002