A Guide to the Biedenharn (Lawrence) Papers, 1931-1997

Biographical Note

Lawrence Christian Biedenharn was born in Vicksburg, Mississippi, on November 18, 1922. He attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in absentia in 1944 while serving in the United States Army. He returned to MIT in 1946 and completed his Ph. D. in theoretical nuclear physics in 1950. After graduation, he worked as a research physicist at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee.

His teaching career began when he was hired as an assistant professor at Yale University in 1952. He joined the faculty at Rice University in 1954 and became an assistant professor there in 1956. He became a full professor at Duke University in 1961. Upon becoming Emeritus in 1992, Biedenharn moved to the University of Texas at Austin where he continued to teach as an adjunct professor until his death from kidney cancer in 1996. Biedenharn supervised 24 Ph.D. students.

Biedenharn was a prominent mathematical and theoretical nuclear physicist whose significant contributions to group theoretical methods in physics led to his worldwide recognition as one of the foremost leaders in modern theoretical physics. He published several textbooks and monographs as well as hundreds of articles, several of which were written in collaboration with prominent theorists who visited Duke University from all over the world to work with Biedenharn. Two of the articles he co-authored are among the 100 most cited Reviews of Modern Physics papers from 1955 to 1985. He served as editor of the Journal of Mathematical Physics from 1985-1992. Biedenharn was invited to lecture extensively throughout the U. S. and Europe.

Scope and Contents

The Lawrence Biedenharn Papers, 1931-1997, consist of published works, correspondence, notes, teaching materials, drafts, printed materials, and other material documenting the life and career of Lawrence Biedenharn (1922-1996). The papers are divided into two series: Professional and Personal.

The majority of the collection relates to Biedenharn’s professional career. Biedenharn’s extensive “serial notes” were left in the original order he created and are labeled with his folder names, when possible, indicated by quotation marks. His numerous publications (1944-1995) and conference talks (1955-1995) provide a look at his contributions to the field of theoretical physics. Also included are his teaching materials from Duke University (1959-1992), professional correspondence (1950-1997), arranged in the alphabetical order used by Biedenharn, and copies of his curriculum vita and publication list (1991-1993).

The personal series includes material from Biedenharn’s education at MIT (1943-1949), a published collection of articles dedicated to Biedenharn (1993), editions of professional journals dedicated to him (1996-1997), personal correspondence (1983-1994), and printed materials (1977-1987).

Forms part of the Archives of American Mathematics.

Restrictions

Access Restrictions

Access to student records is restricted until 75 years after the date of creation. All other material is open for research.

Use Restrictions

These papers are stored remotely at CDL. Advance notice required for retrieval. Contact repository for retrieval.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Lawrence Biedenharn Papers, 1931-1997, Archives of American Mathematics, Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, University of Texas at Austin.

Detailed Description of the Papers