Collection search - John Werner Abrams fonds [textual record, sound recording, graphic material]

Record information – Brief
1
John Werner Abrams fonds [textual record, sound recording, graphic material]

Hierarchical level:

Fonds

Date:

1925-1994.

Reference:

R4188-0-3-E, MG31-J16

Type of material:

Textual material, Sound recordings, Photographs

Found in:

Archives / Collections and Fonds

Item ID number:

104300

Context of this record:

Show detail Hide detail

John Werner Abrams fonds
Link to this record

Add to My Research

Link to this record

This link identifies the web page describing this particular record. Unlike the temporary link in your browser, this link will allow you to access, and reference, this page in the future. To link to this descriptive record, copy and paste the URL where ever needed (wiki, blog, document).

Sign in

Sign in to start saving records using My Research

Sign in
Record information – Details
Fonds includes:

10 lower level description(s)
View lower level description(s)

Date(s):

1925-1994.

Place of creation:

No place, unknown, or undetermined

Extent:

14.08 m of textual records.
6 audio reels (ca. 4 h, 28 min, 30 s).
1 audio cassette (ca. 25 min).
35 photographs : 32 b&w and 3 col.
1 album.

Language of material:

English

Scope and content:

Show detail Hide detail

Fonds consists of biographical information and educational background material; teaching material on history of the philosophy of science and technology industrial engineering, linear programming, stochastics and probability, and operational research; correspondence, personal and academic; Learned Societies, conference reports, brochures, constitutions, etc.; operational research, manuscripts, writings and historical commentary; other material relating to University of Toronto administration, paper on astronomy, Ontario Science Centre and Ontario government committees; and restricted materials. The fonds also contains sound recordings of various interviews conducted by Dr. John W. Abrams on operational research and history and philosophy of technology, [ca. 1960-1974]. Included are photographs depicting participants in scientific conference, Kaluga, U.S.S.R., 1976; unidentified scientist with Sherman tank used for testing shells, [ca. 1949]; and a photographic portrait of Dr. H.P. Robertson, [ca. 1962].

Provenance:

Show detail Hide detail

Abrams, John Werner, 1913-1981

Biography/Administrative history:

Show detail Hide detail

Abrams, John Werner, 1913-1981 : John Werner Abrams was born in San Francisco, California, in 1913. After completing Galileo High School, he went on to do undergraduate work at the University of California (Berkeley Campus) and, in 1933, received his BA with honours in astronomy and astrophysics. He continued his education with graduate studies at a number of institutions: at Harvard College Observatory in 1934-1935, at the University of Leiden (Netherlands) and Tartu (Estonia) in 1935-1936, and at the University of California in 1937-1939, during which time he was a Lick Observatory Fellow and a Teaching Assistant. He was awarded a Ph.D. in astrophysics from the University of California in 1939 and in 1940 signed on as an instructor at that university.

He served in the Royal Canadian Air Force as a navigational instructor in Canada in 1941-1942, prior to duty in the United Kingdom as an operational research officer with the Royal Air Force Coastal Command.

Abrams was an assistant professor of physics at the University of Manitoba, 1945-1946, and from 1946 until 1949, he was assistant professor of astronomy and physical science at Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut. While at Wesleyan, he introduced a course in the emerging field of the history of physical science. In 1949, he took a position with the Canadian Defence Research Board. Almost immediately, he was detached from the Board to work with the British Admiralty. While in London, he pursued post-graduate studies in the History and Philosophy of Science and Technology at University College.

On his return to Canada in 1951, he was promoted to Superintendent of the Defence Research Board's Operational Research Group and by 1961 had become its chief. Dr. Abrams resumed his university teaching career as associate professor in the Department of Industrial Engineering at the University of Toronto, 1962-1967, and chaired the University Committee on the History and Philosophy of Science, 1965-1968. Dr. Abrams was Director of the Institute for the History and Philosophy of Science and Technology from its inception in 1967 until 1973, while continuing his work in the Department of Industrial Engineering.

Finding aid:

Show detail Hide detail

Textual record (Electronic) This finding aid describes volumes 1 to 72 at the file level. MSS1344 (90: Open)
http://data2.archives.ca/pdf/pdf002/p000003224.pdf

Additional information:

Show detail Hide detail

General note:

Received in 1982 from Mrs. Marjorie Abrams of Toronto, Ontario, and from Mrs. Jacqueline Elton of Toronto, Ontario in 2008.
Subject heading:

Show detail Hide detail

Astronomy

College teachers - Canada, [between 1945 and 1967] Ontario Science Centre , 1937-1981

John Werner Abrams - Childhood and youth, 1926-1951 Canadian Operational Research Society, 1951-1981

Galileo High School (San Francisco, Calif.) - Students, [between 1926 and 1951] Canadian Society for the History and Philosophy of Science, 1951-1981

University of California (Berkeley, Calif.) - Students, [between 1926 and 1951] Society for the History of Technology, 1951-1981

Harvard University - Students, [between 1926 and 1951] International Co-operation in the History of Technology Committee, 1951-1981

University of London - Students, [between 1926 and 1951] International Council of Scientific Unions, 1951-1981

University of Manitoba (Winnipeg, Man.) - Faculty, 1945-1946

Teachers - Canada - Biography, 1926-1951

Wesleyan University - Faculty, 1947-1949

Univerity of Toronto (Toronto, Ont.) - Faculty, 1959-1980

Industrial engineering - History, 1944-1981

Linear programming - History, 1944-1981

John Werner Abrams - Manuscripts, 1944-1981

John Werner Abrams - Correspondence, 1939-1982

Learned institutions and societies - Canada, 1951-1981

Operations research - Problems, exercises, etc., 1952-1981

Operations research - History, 1952-1981
Source:

Private

Related control no.:

Show detail Hide detail

(1984-06-19)
1984-0269 MISA
1984-302 NPC
2008-00824-X
MG31-J16

Former archival reference no.:

Show detail Hide detail

MG31-J16
Ordering and viewing options

Conditions of access:

Show detail Hide detail

Textual records

[Consultation90 Open]

Finding aid box [FA 1344] 111

[Consultation 10 Closed]

Sound recordings

[Consultation90 Open]

Graphic (photo)

[Consultation90 Open]

Box [ABRAMS, JOHN WERNER 1984-302] 3622

[Consultation 90 Open]

Terms of use:

Show detail Hide detail

Sound recordings: No restrictions on reproduction or use.
Photographs: No restrictions. Various copyrights on selected items. Credit: Name of photographer / Library and Archives Canada

You can order materials in advance to be ready for you when you visit. You will need a user card to do this.

Cannot visit us on site? You can purchase a copy to be sent to you. Some restrictions may apply.