Oral histories of 70 eminent scientists and engineers who immigrated to the United States in the 20th century. The oral histories provide moving testimony and insights into the nature of immigrant scientists’ scientific work and enterprise, as well as their struggles and successes in weaving themselves into the cultural fabric of American life. Many of these stories highlight historical events and social conditions that led individuals and families to flee their home countries. Other interviews shed light on the educational and professional opportunities that aspiring and experienced scientists sought out in the United States.
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8 items
Oral history interview with Francis O. Rice
- 1984-Jan-04 (First session)
- 1984-Jan-05 (Second session)
Francis O. Rice discusses his life and career in this interview, which begins with mention of his early days in England, his studies at Princeton, and his teaching at New York University. Rice describes his teaching,…
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6 items
Oral history interview with Izaak M. Kolthoff
- 1984-Mar-15
In this interview Professor Izaak Kolthoff begins by discussing his early life in Holland, his family, and his education. Kolthoff continues with the factors influencing his decision to become an analytical chemist, and…
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8 items
Oral history interview with Koji Nakanishi
- 1985-Feb-15
This interview covers the life of Koji Nakanishi from his early education in Egypt to his current work as Professor of Chemistry at Columbia University and Director of the Suntory Institute for Bioorganic Research in…
- Interviewee Nakanishi, Kōji, 1925-2019
- Interviewer Gortler, Leon B.
- Subject Nakanishi, Kōji, 1925-2019, Columbia University, Infrared spectroscopy, Nuclear magnetic resonance, Circular dichroism, Chemistry, Organic, International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Tōhoku Daigaku, Tōkyō Kyōiku Daigaku, Nagoya Daigaku, Natural products--Research, Emigration and immigration
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9 items
Oral history interview with Carl Djerassi
- 1985-Jul-31
In this interview Carl Djerassi begins with his early years in Vienna and Bulgaria, including his schooling at the American College in Sofia. This is followed by his immigration to the United States, with special…
- Interviewee Djerassi, Carl
- Interviewer Thackray, Arnold, 1939-, Sturchio, Jeffrey L. (Jeffrey Louis), 1952-
- Subject Djerassi, Carl, Syntex Corporation, Cetus Corporation, Chemists, Chemistry, Organic, Zoecon Corporation, Wayne State University, Stanford University, Chemistry, Ciba Pharmaceutical Company, Chemists--Biography, Steroids, Emigration and immigration
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20 items
Oral history interview with Herman Mark
- 1986-Feb-03 (First session)
- 1986-Mar-17 (Second session)
- 1986-Jun-20 (Third session)
In this first of three interviews Herman Mark starts with his study of relatively stable free radicals under the direction of Wilhelm Schlenk, first in Vienna and then in Berlin. After a post doctoral period at the…
- Interviewee Mark, H. F. (Herman Francis), 1895-1992
- Interviewer Bohning, James J., Sturchio, Jeffrey L. (Jeffrey Louis), 1952-
- Subject Canadian International Paper Company, Polymers, Alfrey, Turner, 1918-1981, Macromolecules, Carothers, Wallace Hume, 1896-1937, Interessengemeinschaft Farbenindustrie Aktiengesellschaft, Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, Chemists--Biography, Mark, H. F. (Herman Francis), 1895-1992, Meyer, Kurt H. (Kurt Heinrich), 1883-1952, Kaiser Wilhelm Institut für Chemie, Haber, Fritz, 1868-1934, Chemists, Cellulose, Emigration and immigration
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6 items
Oral history interview with Leo H. Sternbach
- 1986-Mar-12
Leo H. Sternbach begins the interview with a discussion of his family and childhood in Austria and Poland. He describes his early education during the First World War as well as his experiences working in his father's…
- Interviewee Sternbach, L. H. (Leo H.)
- Interviewer Koeppel, Tonja A.
- Subject Roche Diagnostics, Sternbach, L. H. (Leo H.), Chemists--Biography, Benzodiazepines, Chemists, Emigration and immigration
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6 items
Oral history interview with Herbert Morawetz
- 1986-Apr-01
In this interview, Herbert Morawetz traces his early life prior to leaving Czechoslovakia on the Nazi invasion and resettling in Canada, where he studied chemical engineering at the University of Toronto. He describes…
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7 items
Oral history interview with Allan S. Hay
- 1986-Jul-24
Allan S. Hay begins the interview with a description of his secondary and undergraduate education in Alberta. After briefly describing his graduate work at the University of Illinois and a summer job at Du Pont, he…
- Interviewee Hay, Allan S., 1929-2017
- Interviewer Wise, George, Fine, Leonard W.
- Subject Hay, Allan S., 1929-2017, Plastics--Research, Chemistry, Polymers, Chemists, General Electric Company, Chemists--Biography, Polyphenylene oxide, University of Alberta, University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Emigration and immigration
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9 items
Oral history interview with Michael Szwarc
- 1986-Sep-11
In this interview, Michael Szwarc begins with his early interest in science while growing up in Poland, leading to his studies at the Warsaw Polytechnic Institute. Szwarc next describes his experiences from 1935, when…
- Interviewee Szwarc, Michael
- Interviewer Bohning, James J.
- Subject Chemistry, Physical and theoretical, Szwarc, Michael, Chemistry, Organic, Chemical engineers, Emigration and immigration
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8 items
Oral history interview with Alfred R. Bader
- 1987-Jul-31
Alfred Bader begins this interview with a discussion of his early years in Vienna, including his family background and Gymnasium education. This is followed by additional education in England, living in Canada as a…
- Interviewee Bader, Alfred R., 1924-2018
- Interviewer Thackray, Arnold, 1939-
- Subject Chemists--Biography, Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company, Aldrich Chemical Company, Sigma Chemical Company, Chemistry, Organic, Harvard University, Murphy Paint Company, Jewish refugees, Bader, Alfred R., 1924-2018, Emigration and immigration
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9 items
Oral history interview with Michael J.S. Dewar
- 1991-Jan-22
In his oral history Michael J. Dewar describes his education and long career in chemistry, both in academia and industry. He discusses his research and colleagues at Courtalds, Ltd. , his learning physical chemistry,…
- Interviewee Dewar, Michael J.S., 1918-1997
- Interviewer Bohning, James J.
- Subject Dewar, Michael J.S., 1918-1997, Molecular orbitals, Courtaulds (Firm), Emigration and immigration
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10 items
Oral history interview with Madeleine M. Joullié
- 1991-Apr-23
The interview begins with Dr. Joullié's description of her early life and education in Brazil. Her father sent her to Simmons College in the United States, where she received her undergraduate degree before obtaining…
- Interviewee Joullié, Madeleine M., 1927-
- Interviewer Bohning, James J.
- Sponsor Rollin M. Gerstacker Foundation
- Subject Joullié, Madeleine M., 1927-, Chemistry, Organic, Women in chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Price, Charles C. (Charles Coale), 1913-2001, United States. Secret Service, DNA fingerprinting, American Chemical Society, Western Electric Company, Shell Oil Company, Weisz, Paul B., 1921-, Alzheimer's disease--Research, Chemists, Women chemists, Women in science, Emigration and immigration
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13 items
Oral history interview with Gilbert J. Stork
- 1991-Aug-06
Gilbert Stork begins his interview with a description of his childhood and family background in Paris. Stork and his family moved to the United States in 1939, and he decided to begin his graduate studies in chemistry…
- Interviewee Stork, Gilbert
- Interviewer Bohning, James J., Fine, Leonard W.
- Subject Stork, Gilbert, Chemists, Harvard University, Chemists--Biography, Columbia University, Emigration and immigration
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9 items
Oral history interview with Orlando Aloysius Battista
- 1992-Feb-23
O. A. Battista begins the interview by describing his childhood in Cornwall, Canada, as one of eight siblings born to a poor, uneducated laborer and a housewife. Battista proudly details his family's hard-working nature…
- Interviewee Battista, O. A. (Orlando Aloysius), 1917-1995
- Interviewer Bohning, James J.
- Subject Hemostasis, Surgical, American Viscose Corporation, O. A. Battista Research Institute, Psychotropic drugs, Viscose process, Battista, O. A. (Orlando Aloysius), 1917-1995, Cellulose--Chemistry, FMC Corporation, University of Texas, Microcrystalline polymers, Chemists--Biography, Emigration and immigration
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12 items
Oral history interview with Konrad E. Bloch
- 1993-Mar-22
The interview begins with Konrad E. Bloch describing his childhood in Neisse, Germany, and his undergraduate education at Technische Hochschule in Munich. During a research assistantship in Davos, Switzerland, Bloch had…
- Interviewee Bloch, Konrad Emil, 1912-
- Interviewer Bohning, James J.
- Subject University of Oxford, Biosynthesis, Biochemists, Human Genome Project, Cholesterol, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Organic, Harvard University, Bloch, Konrad Emil, 1912-, Columbia University, Nobel Prize winners, Cholesterol--Synthesis, Nutrition, Emigration and immigration
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14 items
Oral history interview with Yusuf A. Hannun
- 1993-Mar-29 – 1993-Mar-30
- 1993-Apr-01 – 1993-Apr-02
Yusuf A. Hannun was born in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, though raised after the age of five in Beirut, Lebanon, the eldest of three siblings. His father was a medical officer in the British Army during the World War II and…
- Interviewee Hannun, Yusuf A., 1955-
- Interviewer Hathaway, Neil D.
- Sponsor Pew Charitable Trusts
- Subject Hannun, Yusuf A., 1955-, Education, Biomedical engineering, Protein kinase C, Diglycerides, Sphingolipids, Lebanese Civil War (Lebanon : 1975-1990), Lebanon--Beirut, Minorities in science, Molecular biologists, Medical scientists, Emigration and immigration
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8 items
Oral history interview with Vladimir Haensel
- 1994-Nov-02
Vladimir Haensel begins this interview by discussing his family life. Haensel, though born in Germany, spent parts of his childhood in Russia, Austria, and Germany. He attended a German gymnasium, where he had only a…
- Interviewee Haensel, Vladimir, 1914-2002
- Interviewer Bohning, James J.
- Subject Chemical engineering, Heterogeneous catalysis, Perkin Medal, University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Catalysts, Haensel, Vladimir, 1914-2002, Chemical engineers, Ipatieff, Vladimir N. (Vladimir Nikolaevich), 1867-1952, Universal Oil Products Company, Platinum catalysts, Emigration and immigration
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7 items
Oral history interview with Herbert C. Brown
- 1994-Nov-11
Herbert C. Brown studied at Crane Junior College, where he became fascinated by chemistry and its history; when Crane closed down, Brown was among the students invited to work in Nicholas D. Cheronis' Synthetical…
- Interviewee Brown, Herbert C. (Herbert Charles), 1912-2004
- Interviewer Bohning, James J.
- Subject University of Chicago, World War (1939-1945), United States. Office of Scientific Research and Development. National Defense Research Committee, Wayne State University, Purdue University, Emigration and immigration, Nobel Prize winners
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10 items
Oral history interview with Miguel A. Ondetti
- 1995-Jan-12
Miguel A. Ondetti begins this interview by describing his parents' immigrant background and work in Argentina, his early interests in chemistry, and his education at vocational school in Buenos Aires. Upon high school…
- Interviewee Ondetti, Miguel A., 1930-2004
- Interviewer Bohning, James J.
- Subject Captopril, Chemists, Ondetti, Miguel A., Chemists--Biography, Squibb Institute for Medical Research, Emigration and immigration
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8 items
Oral history interview with Marinus Los
- 1995-Jan-17
The interview begins with Dr. Marinus Los' description of his family's origins in The Netherlands. When he was two years old, his family moved to England, where he received his early education during World War II.…
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12 items
Oral history interview with Paul B. Weisz
- 1995-Mar-27
Paul Weisz begins his oral history interview by discussing his family background in Austria-Hungary after World War I period, when his family moved to Berlin. Weisz was educated in the Gymnasium, where he developed an…
- Interviewee Weisz, Paul Burg, 1919-2012
- Interviewer Bohning, James J.
- Subject Weisz, Paul Burg, 1919-, Physicists--Biography, Mobil Research and Development Corporation, Physicists, Emigration and immigration
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11 items
Oral history interview with Charles W. Tobias
- 1995-May-15 – 1995-May-16
Charles Tobias begins this interview with a description of his extended family in Hungary and their interest in engineering. He remembers his early childhood and education in Hungary and the influence of his family and…
- Interviewee Tobias, Charles W., 1920-1996
- Interviewer Bohning, James J.
- Subject Electrochemical Society, Tobias, Charles W., 1920-1996, Chemical engineers, Emigration and immigration
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7 items
Oral history interview with Richard E. Honig
- 1996-Apr-27
Richard E. Honig was born in Göttingen, Germany, the eldest of three boys. He attended Robert College, an American college in Istanbul, from which he graduated with a bachelor of science degree in electrical…
- Interviewee Honig, Richard E. (Richard Edward), 1917-2001
- Interviewer Grayson, Michael A.
- Subject Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Honig, Richard E. (Richard Edward), 1917-2001, American Society for Testing and Materials, Mass spectrometers, American Society for Mass Spectrometry, Physicists--Biography, Mass spectrometry, RCA Laboratories, Physicists, Emigration and immigration
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6 items
Oral history interview with Joseph Labovsky
- 1996-Jul-24
Joseph Labovsky opens the interview with a discussion of his childhood in Ukraine and his family experiences there after his father emigrated to the United States in 1914. Labovsky moved with his mother and siblings to…
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5 items
Oral history interview with Marion David Francis
- 1997-Jan-24
Marion David Francis begins his interview with a discussion of his childhood in Canada. Deeply influenced by his industrious parents and siblings, Francis worked his way through high school and college at a logging…
- Interviewee Francis, Marion D., 1923-2016
- Interviewer Traynham, James G.
- Subject Biochemists, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Procter & Gamble Company, Fluorides, Francis, Marion D., 1923-2016, Emigration and immigration