Bruce M. Alberts Papers, 1960-94, n.d.

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Summary

Creators:
Alberts, Bruce M.
Extent:
11 cartons, 2 boxes 14.75
Language:
English.
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Bruce M. Alberts papers, MSS 94-56, Archives & Special Collections, UCSF Library & CKM

Background

Scope and content:

First and foremost, the Bruce M. Alberts Papers offer insight into the life and work of Dr. Alberts himself, a pre-eminent scientist and educator. This collection also provides a view into the development of molecular biology in recent history, the politics of a research career in academia, and the teaching of science itself. These papers also reveal a collegial world of scholarly sharing and communication, of a network of scientists working at different institutions around the world cooperating with each other.

This collection documents Dr. Alberts's professional academic career from his early days at Princeton, to his arrival at UCSF, to his leave of absence from UCSF to assume the Presidency of the National Academy of Sciences in 1993. There is a wealth of professional correspondence (Series I): Alberts was a conscientious and courteous correspondent with his colleagues and students. Alberts's correspondents include many prominent scientists, such as Francis Crick, Freeman Dyson, David Baltimore, Arthur Kornberg, Barbara McClintock, James D. Watson, and Keith Yamamoto, among others. Alberts's carefully kept speaking notes (Series II) and teaching materials (Series III) reveal his meticulous work habits and dedication to his field.

Records documenting Alberts's professional activities date exclusively from his career at UCSF, and provide a glimpse into the working life of an academic scientist (Series IV). While this collection does not include Alberts's research notes or laboratory notebooks, it does contain records of his inactive grants and rejected grant applications, which do provide information about Alberts's scientific research (Series V). Finally, Alberts's personalia offers a look into the life of a busy and dedicated scientist, including his crowded appointment calendars from UCSF and his notebooks from his own student days at Harvard (Series VI).

Records regarding Alberts's tenure as President of the National Academy of Sciences will be held by the National Academy of Sciences.

Biographical / historical:

Date Event
1938 Born, April 14, Chicago, Illinois
1960 A.B., Biochemical Sciences, Summa cum laude. Harvard College, Cambridge, MA
1965 Ph.D., Biophysics, Laboratory of Professor Paul Doty, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
1965-66 Postdoctoral Fellow, National Science Foundation, Laboratories of Professors A. Tissieres and R. Epstein, Institut de Biologie Moleculaire, Geneva, Switzerland
1966-1971 Assistant Professor, Dept of Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
1971-1973 Associate Professor, Dept of Biochemical Sciences, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
1973-1976 Damon Pfeiffer Professor of Life Sciences, Dept of Biochemical Sciences, Princeton University, (1973-74 Acting Chairman, 1974-75 Associate Chairman)
1/76-9/76 On sabbatical leave from Princeton, Laboratory of Professor Lewis Wolpert, Middlesex Hospital Medical School, London, England
1976-1981
Professor of Biochemistry and Vice Chairman, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco
1981-1985 American Cancer Society Research Professor, Dept of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco (1981-82 Acting Chairman)
1985-1990 Chairman, Dept of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco
1990-1993 American Cancer Society Research Professor, Dept of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco; six-year leave beginning July 1, 1993
1993- President, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, D.C.

Date Event
1938
Born, April 14, Chicago, Illinois
1960
A.B., Biochemical Sciences, Summa cum laude. Harvard College, Cambridge, MA
1965
Ph.D., Biophysics, Laboratory of Professor Paul Doty, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
1965-66
Postdoctoral Fellow, National Science Foundation, Laboratories of Professors A. Tissieres and R. Epstein, Institut de Biologie Moleculaire, Geneva, Switzerland
1966-1971
Assistant Professor, Dept of Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
1971-1973
Associate Professor, Dept of Biochemical Sciences, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
1973-1976
Damon Pfeiffer Professor of Life Sciences, Dept of Biochemical Sciences, Princeton University, (1973-74 Acting Chairman, 1974-75 Associate Chairman)
1/76-9/76
On sabbatical leave from Princeton, Laboratory of Professor Lewis Wolpert, Middlesex Hospital Medical School, London, England
1976-1981
Professor of Biochemistry and Vice Chairman, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco
1981-1985
American Cancer Society Research Professor, Dept of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco (1981-82 Acting Chairman)
1985-1990
Chairman, Dept of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco
1990-1993
American Cancer Society Research Professor, Dept of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco; six-year leave beginning July 1, 1993
1993-
President, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, D.C.
Custodial history:

The Bruce M. Alberts Papers were given to the Biotechnology Archives by Dr. Alberts in two increments in 1993 and 1995.

Processing information:

Processing the Bruce M. Alberts Papers was made possible by funding provided by the UCSF Library & Center for Knowledge Management.

Physical location:
For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.

Access and use

Restrictions:

Collection is open for research except for items listed under the heading "Restricted Materials." Please see the Head of Archives & Special Collections for information regarding restricted materials.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Bruce M. Alberts papers, MSS 94-56, Archives & Special Collections, UCSF Library & CKM

Location of this collection:
UCSF Library & CKM Archives and Special Collections, 530 Parnassus Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94143-0840, US