Collection inventory

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Howard Wesley Davis Papers

An inventory of his collection at the Syracuse University Archives


Finding aid created by: Jenna Bossert
Date: May 2017

Biography

Howard Wesley Davis (1920-2010) graduated from the Syracuse University Department of Physics with a B.S. degree in Physics in 1949 and an M.S. degree in Physics in 1955. Prior to attending Syracuse University, he served in the Army Air Corp and as a pilot instructor in the Air Force Reserve during World War II. Davis taught undergraduate physics classes as a graduate student at Syracuse University for a short time after his graduation. While in graduate school and briefly afterwards, Davis worked as a part-time associate for the Syracuse University Department of Physics' Institute of Industrial Research and the Syracuse University Research Institute. He was a nationally renowned physicist working in infrared technology. With his work, Davis contributed to many aerospace projects, including the Apollo space program, LandSat Satellites, and early Eyes of the Navy programs. Davis later worked on civilian projects concerning optics and infrared technology, including infrared detection systems, remote sensing, and remote controls. He invented and enhanced numerous technologies during his lifetime.

Scope and Content Note

The Howard Wesley Davis Papers includes artifacts, clippings, correspondence, class lectures and assignments, photographs, and publications from his time as a student and alumnus of Syracuse University. The collection includes series for Artifacts, Clippings, Correspondence, Lectures and class assignments, Photographs, and Publications.

Artifacts includes some of Howard Wesley Davis' lab equipment. There are 19 glass cells and some of their loose components.

News includes clippings about infrared technologies and the defense field.

Correspondence is divided into two subseries. Howard Wesley Davis includes correspondence to and from Davis regarding equipment, publication requests, and textbooks. The correspondence of Others features incoming and outgoing letters about projects Davis assisted with and includes correspondence from various corporations, departments, and individuals.

Lectures and class assignments include Davis' lecture notes for courses he taught, as well as experiments he was assigned as a student or administered as a teacher.

Photographs contains negatives pertaining to Davis' personal life.

Publications includes research reports of projects Davis worked on at Syracuse University, either as author or co-investigator. The series is divided into 3 subseries that reflect the publishing department or institution of the associated report. The subseries include Institute of Industrial Research (Syracuse University, Department of Physics), Syracuse University, Department of Physics, and the Syracuse University Research Institute (Syracuse University, Department of Physics).

Restrictions

Access Restrictions:

Please note that the collection is housed off-site, and advance notice is required to allow time to have the materials brought to the Reading Room on campus.

Use Restrictions:

Written permission must be obtained from the Syracuse University Archives and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

Selected Search Terms

Names

Davis, Howard Wesley.
Syracuse University -- History.
Syracuse University.

Subjects

Infrared detectors.
Physics.

Types of Material

Black-and-white negatives.
Clippings (information artifacts)
Research (documents)
Technical reports.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Howard Wesley Davis Papers,
University Archives,
Special Collections Research Center
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Gift of Becky Davis, Howard Wesley Davis' daughter, 2017.

Processing Information

The Howard Wesley Davis Papers are fully processed, and have been placed in acid-free folders and boxes.

Arrangement

The Howard Wesley Davis Papers have been arranged alphabetically by and within series, then chronologically.

Table of Contents

Artifacts

Clippings

Correspondence

Lectures and class assignments

Photographs

Publications

Inventory