RGXXI: Committee on Recent Science and Technology
Historical Note
While the Committee on the History of Recent Science and Technology was only officially in operation from 1973-1977, efforts to establish the Committee began in 1972. The Committee was an oversight committee established to coordinate a series of related projects at the Academy that had already begun and to organize future efforts. Historian of science and Academy Editor Gerald Holton served as chair for the duration.
Upon its creation in 1973, Committees overseeing already-existing projects folded into this committee, including: Committee on the History of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (1973-1977); the Academy Committee for the AAAS-AIP Joint Committee on the History of Contemporary Physics (1966-1974); and the Committee on the History of Organizations for the Promotion of Learning in the United States (1971-1980). The latter would continue after the end of the Committee on the History of Recent Science and Technology.
The Committee also proposed three new projects: Synthesis in Modern Evolutionary Thought (1973-1980); Historical Evolution of Modern Mathematics (1973-1975); and Science and Revolution. The first two would go on to receive grant funding, however, the latter never received funding and so no work was ever conducted beyond the exploratory phase. Projects established later include: History of Astrophysics; History of Statistics and Statistical Thinking (1974-1980); and Historical Perspectives on the Scientific Study of Fertility (1975-1980). Additionally, the Committee organized a seminar on Problems in Oral History (November 22-23, 1974), and a meeting on Student Training in the History of Science (March 4, 1975).
Funding for individual projects was largely provided by the National Science Foundation (NSF).
Scope and Content
The series is contained within the Academy Archives’ Record Group XXI: Academy Projects and Programs. This series contains the records related to the Committee on Recent Science and Technology, from 1972-1975. Records of the Committee were created and kept disparately within the executive office of John Voss, including Alexandra Oleson. Though the Committee was in operation after 1975, later records have not yet been found. Included among the records are the Committee's official Meetings and Reports, General Correspondence, and information regarding the unfunded Science and Revolution project and the Problems in Oral History seminar. Not found at present are records relating to the meeting Student Training in the History of Science.
Significant material include the proposal for Science and Revolution Project, transcript of Problems in Oral History seminar, and the official Meeting minutes of the Committee.
Records related to the Sub-Committees which oversaw individual, funded projects have been processed separately and individually.
See related records:
RGXXI: Committee on Knowledge for those relating to the Committee on the History of Organizations for the Promotion of Learning in the United States.
RGXXI: Workshop on the History of the Evolution of Modern Mathematics
RGXXI: Academy Committee for the Joint AAAS-AIP on the History of Contemporary Physics.
RGXXI: Committee on the History of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
RGXXI: Committee on Historical Perspectives on the Scientific Study of Human Fertility
RGXXI: Workshops on Synthesis in Modern Evolutionary Thought
RGXXI: Committee on the History of Statistics and Statistical Thought
And records relating to the Western Center Project on the History of Astrophysics (unprocessed)
Arrangement
Processing for the series utilized MPLP principles, thus minimum preservation steps were taken, and folder titles listed in the finding aid are as they appear on the actual folders. Loose papers were refoldered in the order they were present and given an ascribed title.
This series is arranged chronologically, with no subseries.
Box 1
| Folder 1 | [loose] [Committee on Recent Science and Technology - Meetings and Reports, 1972] |
| Folder 2 | [loose] [History of Recent Science and Technology] [1972-1975] [folder 1 of 2] |
| Folder 3 | [loose] [History of Recent Science and Technology] [1972-1975] [folder 2 of 2] |
| Folder 4 | [loose] [Committee on Recent Science and Technology - Meetings and Reports, 1973-1974] |
| Folder 5 | [loose] [Science and Revolution] [1973-1974] [folder 1 of 2] |
| Folder 6 | [loose] [Science and Revolution] [1973-1974] [folder 2 of 2] |
| Folder 7 | Oral History Transcript [November 22-23 1974] |
| Folder 8 | [loose] [Committee on Recent Science and Technology - Meetings and Reports, 1975] |