Descriptive Summary
Steenrod, Norman Earl,
1910-1971
Norman Earl Steenrod Papers
1911, 1948-1970
86-30
20 in.
Materials are written in English.
Dolph Briscoe Center for American
History, The University of Texas at
Austin
Papers document the
career of Norman Earl Steenrod (l910-1971) at Princeton University, and reflect
Steenrod's research in algebraic topology. Included are a manuscript draft of
his
Foundations of Algebraic Topology, written with S.
Eilenberg, and notes for several lectures. The collection also documents
Steenrod's activities in connection with the American Mathematical Society,
particularly with Mathematical Reviews, the Mathematical Association of America
Committee for the Undergraduate Program in Mathematics, and the School
Mathematics Study Group monograph panel. Material includes correspondence,
drafts, lecture notes, grant proposals, and reports.
Biographical Note
Norman Earl Steenrod (1910-1971) was a central figure in the post World
War II development of algebraic topology. Born in Dayton, Ohio, on April 22,
1910, Steenrod attended college at Miami University and the University of
Michigan (A.B., 1932). At the University of Michigan, he took courses by
Raymond Louis Wilder, who guided the preparation of Steenrod's first two
published papers (1934). After taking an M.A. at Harvard University (1934),
Steenrod earned his Ph.D. with Solomon Lefschetz at Princeton University
(1936). Steenrod returned to Princeton permanently after short periods on the
faculties of the University of Chicago (1939-1942) and the University of
Michigan (1942-1947). He died in Princeton on October 14, 1971.
Steenrod's research was in algebraic topology. His
Foundations of Algebraic Topology (1952), written with
Samuel Eilenberg, gave a system of axioms providing a framework for the rapidly
developing field of homology theory. Steenrod's
The Topology of Fibre Bundles (1951) furnished a systematic
treatment of the previously disorganized field of bundle theory and an
influential account of homotopy theory. Steenrod's study of homology
classification led to his work on cohomology operations, in particular to the
Steenrod algebra.
Source: Whitehead, G. W., "Norman Earl Steenrod, April 22, 1910-October
14, 1971."
National Academy of Sciences Biographical
Memoirs, 55: 453-470 (1985).
Scope and Contents
The Norman Earl Steenrod Papers comprise records of Steenrod's books,
research grants, and lectures (7 in.), and his work for several mathematical
organizations (10 in.). Steenrod's research interests are represented by a
manuscript of
Foundations of Algebraic Topology (1952), written with
Samuel Eisenberg, by notes for several lectures, and by material relating to
research grants (1963-1970). Records of the preparation of Steenrod's
Reviews of Papers in Algebraic and Differential Topology,
Topological Groups, and Homological Algebra (1968) are included.
Steenrod's work for the American Mathematical Society is represented by records
(6 in.) of the Colloquium Committee (1962-1970) and the committees on
Mathematical Reviews (1964-1966), the manual for authors
(1959-1966), and the organization of the 1963 Summer Institute. Steenrod's
interest in education is reflected in records of his work with the Mathematical
Association of America's Committee on the Undergraduate Program in Mathematics
(1966-1969) and the preparation of his
First Concepts of Topology, written with W. G. Chinn (1966)
for the School Mathematics Study Group Monograph Panel. Smaller amounts of
material document Steenrod's editing of the
Annals of Mathematics (1962) and his attendence at the 1967
Summer Rencontres in Mathematics and Physics.
Forms part of the Archives of American Mathematics.
Related Material
Correspondence (1932-1942, 2 in.) between Steenrod and R. L. Wilder is located in the
Wilder (Raymond Lewis) Papers.
Access Restrictions
Unrestricted access.
Use Restrictions
These papers are stored remotely at CDL. Advance notice required for retrieval.
Contact repository for retrieval.
Preferred Citation
Norman Earl Steenrod Papers, 1911, 1948-1970, Archives of American
Mathematics, Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, University of Texas at Austin.
Processing Information
Processed by Frederic F. Burchsted in April 1986, revised by Burchsted
in 1992 and again by Kristy Sorensen in 2003.
Index Terms
Subjects (Persons)
Steenrod, Norman Earl,
1910-1971--Archives
Eilenberg, Samuel
Subjects (Organizations)
American Mathematical Society
Mathematical Association of America.
Committee on the Undergraduate Program in Mathematics
School Mathematics Study Group
Princeton University. Dept. of
Mathematics
Subjects
Algebraic topology
Mathematics--Study and teaching--United
States
Detailed Description of the Papers
Books:
86-30/1
Foundations of Algebraic Topology, with Samuel
Eilenberg, manuscript,
1952
86-30/1
Reviews of Papers in Algebraic and Differential Topology,
Topological Groups, and Homological Algebra, correspondence, notes, drafts,
proofs,
1968
86-30/1
1966-1968
86-30/1
1968-1969
Grants:
86-30/1
National Science Foundation and Air Force,
1963-1966
86-30/2
National Science Foundation,
1966-1970
86-30/2
Air Force,
1966-1970
Lectures:
86-30/2
Lecture notes,
undated
Organizations:
86-30/2
American Mathematical Society:
86-30/2
Colloquium Committee:
86-30/2
1962-1964
86-30/2
1965-1966
86-30/2
1966-1970
86-30/3
Committee on Manual for Authors,
1959-1966
86-30/3
Select Committee on Mathematical Reviews,
1964-1966
86-30/3
Organizing committee for Summer Institute,
1963
86-30/3
Mathematical Offprint Service
86-30/3
Mathematical Association of America
86-30/3
Committee on the Undergraduate Program in Mathematics,
1966-1969
86-30/3
CUPM Geometry Conference,
1967
86-30/4
School Mathematics Study Group, Monograph
Panel:
86-30/4
1955-1961
86-30/4
1960-1965
86-30/4
First Concepts in Topology, with W. G. Chinn,
correspondence,
1966
86-30/4
Annals of Mathematics, editorial correspondence,
1911, 1962
86-30/4
Summer Rencontres in Mathematics and Physics, Seattle,
programs and notes,
1967