Collection context
Summary
- Title:
- Robert Spira Correspondence
- Dates:
- 1960-1981
- Creators:
- Spira, Robert Samuel, 1927-
- Abstract:
- Consists of personal, academic and professional correspondence of Robert Spira during his time as associate professor of Mathematics at Michigan State University and assistant professor of Mathematics at the University of Tennessee.
- Extent:
- 1 carton 1.2 linear feet
- Language:
- Collection materials are in English
- Preferred citation:
-
[Identification of item], Robert Spira Correspondence, BANC MSS 84/62 c, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley
Background
- Scope and content:
-
Consists of personal, academic and professional correspondence of Robert Spira during his time as associate professor of Mathematics at Michigan State University (1964) and assistant professor of Mathematics at the University of Tennessee (1964-1967).
The letters date from 1960-1981 and contain Robert Spira’s correspondence with students, faculty and peers as well as letters to the editor written by Spira. Most items are typed and dated, especially those which are of an official or formal nature.
Collection arrived in rough chronological order, except in cases in which there was heavy correspondence with Spira’s friends and/or colleagues. The first five folders contain the letters to these colleagues in alphabetical order: Berndt, Bruce C.; Bowen, Robert E.; Cohen, Eckford; Fisk, Stephen and Schoenfeld, Lowell.
- Biographical / historical:
-
Correspondence of Robert S. Spira, University of California, Berkeley. Dept of Mathematics Ph.D 1962. Associate Professor Department of Mathematics at Michigan State University 1967 and Assistant Professor Department of Mathematics, University of Tennessee 1964-1967. Published several plays in 1980-2001.
Robert Samuel Spira was born on Dec. 12, 1927 in Detroit, MI. He earned a BA (1957) and a PhD (1962) in Mathematics from UC Berkeley, having written a dissertation titled, “Sums of Two Squares and Brahmagutpa’s Formula” under the instruction of Prof. Derrick Henry Lehmer. While at Berkeley, he met Robert E. Bowen, a peer in the mathematics field who would also be a friend to Spira until Bowen’s death in 1978.
Spira taught mathematics as assistant professor at Duke University (1962-1964), University of Tennessee at Knoxville (1964-1967) and associate professor at Michigan State University, East Lansing (1967-1982).
While the bulk of the Robert S. Spira Correspondence provides letters on various mathematical formulas and theories, the collection also reveals Spira’s interest in politics and the medical field with a special focus on forms of contraception. His interest in theater would result in the publication of several plays and a position as Artistic Director at the Quartz Theater in Ashland, Oregon. He also wrote a translation of The Book of Matthew as well as two books on Western Religion.
- Acquisition information:
- The Robert Spira correspondence was given to the Bancroft Library by Dr. Robert Spira on December 7, 1983.
- Arrangement:
-
Arranged to the folder level.
- Accruals:
-
No additions are expected.
- Physical location:
- Many of the Bancroft Library collections are stored offsite and advance notice may be required for use. For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the library's online catalog
- Rules or conventions:
- Finding Aid prepared using Describing Archives: a Content Standard
Indexed terms
About this collection guide
- Date Prepared:
- © 2012
- Date Encoded:
- Machine-readable finding aid generated by GenX; markup validated by The Bancroft Library using CDL validation tools; Date of source: August 2012
Access and use
- Restrictions:
-
Collection is open for research.
- Terms of access:
-
Materials in this collection may be protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.). In addition, the reproduction of some materials may be restricted by terms of University of California gift or purchase agreements, donor restrictions, privacy and publicity rights, licensing and trademarks. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of without permission of the copyright owner. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.
All requests to reproduce, publish, quote from, or otherwise use collection materials must be submitted in writing to the Head of Public Services, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley 94720-6000. See: http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/reference/permissions.html.
- Preferred citation:
-
[Identification of item], Robert Spira Correspondence, BANC MSS 84/62 c, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley
- Location of this collection:
-
University of California, Berkeley, The Bancroft LibraryBerkeley, CA 94720-6000, US
- Contact:
- 510-642-6481