Pauling Legacy on Display During Centennial Celebration
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Arts & Sciences Pauling Legacy on Display During Centennial Celebration excelled as a student. The precocious Pauling taught chemistry classes as an undergraduate and met a young student named Ava Helen Miller, whom he married in 1923, one year after graduating with a chemical engineering degree. Pauling joined the faculty of Cal Tech and remained there for 40 years. He later headed the Linus Pauling Institute, and established laboratories for the study of vitamin C and micronutrients that eventually moved to OSU. Much of Pauling’s early research dealt with how atoms bond. He developed the “valence bond” theory of chemical bonding that defined chemistry. In 1948, he discovered the alpha helix, which helped lead to the description of the double helix structure of DNA. His applica- tion of chemical bonding theory to biology led to advancements in fighting sickle cell anemia and mental diseases. Pauling’s knowledge of chemistry and biology led him to become a passionate opponent of nuclear test- ing. He set in motion a petition to ban nuclear weapons testing that was signed by more than 11,000 scien- tists around the world. That success led to his Nobel Peace Prize. Later in Pauling’s career, he became fascinated with vitamin C. He was convinced that it could help combat and prevent the common cold and flu, and could be effective in improving conditions for some cancer patients. “Pauling had this encyclopedic knowledge of chemistry, physics, and biology,” said Stephen Lawson of the Linus Pauling Institute. “His range of knowledge was truly incredible.” Hiroshima, August 6, 1959 Many scholars believe that Linus Pauling and Albert Einstein were the two greatest scientists of the 20th century. 2 “Today, I am beginning to write the history of my life…Often, I hope, I shall glance over what I have written before, and ponder and meditate on the mistakes I have made – on the good luck that I have had.” — 16-year-old Linus Pauling, on August 29, 1917 To fully understand the life of Linus Carl Pauling, one would have to be an acclaimed chemist. And a physicist. And a tireless humanitarian. A nutrition expert. An author. An educator. And, of course, a loving family man. Linus Pauling was all of those things and more. The world has never seen an indi- vidual win two unshared Nobel Prizes—except for Linus Pauling. That is one reason why, a hundred years after his birth in 1901, his legacy still shines brightly at Oregon State University. The Valley Library houses Pauling’s Nobel medals, scientific papers and other memorabilia in the vast Pauling Collection that includes more than 500,000 items. The Linus Pauling Institute, which relocated to OSU from Stanford University, has a growing international reputation for its research into the health effects of vitamins and micro- nutrients. The Ava Helen and Linus Pauling Lecture in World Peace annually draws world- renowned speakers to campus. And the list goes on. Born February 28, 1901, in Portland, Pauling came to Oregon Agricultural College where he
Transcript of Pauling Legacy on Display During Centennial Celebration
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Centennial Celebrationexcelled as a student. The precociousPauling taught chemistry classes asan undergraduate and met a youngstudent named Ava Helen Miller,whom he married in 1923, one yearafter graduating with a chemicalengineering degree.
Pauling joined the faculty of CalTech and remained there for 40years. He later headed the LinusPauling Institute, and establishedlaboratories for the study of vitaminC and micronutrients that eventuallymoved to OSU.
Much of Pauling’s early researchdealt with how atoms bond. Hedeveloped the “valence bond” theoryof chemical bonding that definedchemistry. In 1948, he discoveredthe alpha helix, which helped leadto the description of the doublehelix structure of DNA. His applica-tion of chemical bonding theory tobiology led to advancements infighting sickle cell anemia and mental diseases.
Pauling’s knowledge of chemistryand biology led him to become apassionate opponent of nuclear test-ing. He set in motion a petition toban nuclear weapons testing that wassigned by more than 11,000 scien-tists around the world. That successled to his Nobel Peace Prize.
Later in Pauling’s career, he becamefascinated with vitamin C. He wasconvinced that it could help combatand prevent the common cold andflu, and could be effective inimproving conditions for some cancer patients.
“Pauling had this encyclopedicknowledge of chemistry, physics,and biology,” said Stephen Lawsonof the Linus Pauling Institute. “His range of knowledge was trulyincredible.”
Hiroshima, August 6, 1959
Many scholars believe that Linus Pauling and AlbertEinstein were the two greatest scientists of the 20th century.
2 “Today, I am beginning to writethe history of my life…Often, I hope, I shall glance over what I have written before, and ponderand meditate on the mistakes I have made – on the good luckthat I have had.”
— 16-year-old Linus Pauling,on August 29, 1917
To fully understand the life ofLinus Carl Pauling, one wouldhave to be an acclaimed chemist.And a physicist. And a tirelesshumanitarian. A nutrition expert.An author. An educator. And, ofcourse, a loving family man. LinusPauling was all of those things andmore.
The world has never seen an indi-vidual win two unshared NobelPrizes—except for Linus Pauling.That is one reason why, a hundredyears after his birth in 1901, hislegacy still shines brightly atOregon State University.
The Valley Library housesPauling’s Nobel medals, scientificpapers and other memorabilia inthe vast Pauling Collection thatincludes more than 500,000items. The Linus PaulingInstitute, which relocated to OSUfrom Stanford University, has agrowing international reputationfor its research into the healtheffects of vitamins and micro-nutrients. The Ava Helen andLinus Pauling Lecture in WorldPeace annually draws world-renowned speakers to campus.And the list goes on.
Born February 28, 1901, inPortland, Pauling came to OregonAgricultural College where he
About the Pauling Collection
In the spring of 1986, Linus Paulingannounced he would give all of his scientificpapers, books, letters, awards and memora-bilia to his alma mater, Oregon StateUniversity. The gift was extraordinarybecause Pauling had kept virtually every-thing related to his brilliant, multi-facetedcareer.
Today the Pauling Collection, whichincludes about 500,000 items, is housed in The Valley Library at OSU, where it isstudied by scholars of science, history and peace studies.
Among the collection’s notable items:
• Pauling’s 1954 Nobel Prize in Chemistry and 1962 Nobel Peace Prize.
• The original petition for nuclear disarmament that Pauling circulated, containing the signatures of 11,000 scientists and Nobel laureates around the world.
• All of the original research notebooks Pauling ever wrote, recording his ideas, scientific theories, personal notes to himself and an occasional love note to orfrom his wife, Ava Helen Pauling.
• Letters from Martin Luther King Jr., John F. Kennedy Jr., Albert Einstein, Richard Nixon, Harry Truman, Jimmy Carter, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Jack Kevorkian.
More information on the Pauling Collectionis available online at: oregonstate.edu/dept/Special_Collections/
A traveling exhibit featuring the life andwork of Linus Pauling, opened September20, 1998 in San Francisco—the first in aseries of stops that culminated in spring of2001 at the Oregon Museum of Science andIndustry (OMSI) in Portland, Oregon.
Film and Culture
With wry wit and an academic’s analytical mind, JonLewis has been teaching film and cultural studies in theEnglish Department at OSU since 1983. He cheerfullyadmits that he’s got one of the best jobs at OregonState University, teaching courses on film and culture.His research interest is focused on Hollywood. And hehas a growing reputation as an author and a critic ofthe film industry.
His provocative new book, Hollywood v. Hard Core: Howthe Struggle Over Censorship Saved the Modern FilmIndustry, was favorably reviewed in The New York Timesand other national publications. Lewis is the author oftwo other books on Hollywood: Francis Ford Coppolaand the New Hollywood and The Road to Romance andRuin: Teen Films and Youth Culture. still is an unabashed film lover. In his new book, Lewis points out the absurdity of theHollywood rating system, and argues that the studiosdevised the system as a way to control the profits offilms more than their content. But despite his cynicalview of how Hollywood regulates itself, he still is anunabashed film lover.
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2Black Poets Society
Melvin Young isn’t out to change the whole world, just onelittle piece of it. And he wants to do it one verse at a time.
A junior in English, Young is fascinated with poetry. Whenhe arrived at Oregon State, however, he couldn’t find a nat-ural outlet for his artistic side. So he took matters into hisown hands.
Young created a new organization on campus, the BlackPoets Society, devoted to reading, writing and sharing poet-ry. The group is inclusive—for one, you don’t have to beAfrican American to participate. “Actually,” Young said, “we encourage anyone who loves poetry to join in.” Andjazz music and free verse have been added to the group’slively monthly meetings, which are held at Corvallis-areacoffee shops.
Young hopes to continue his poetry after graduation, whenhe plans to pursue a career in law. In the meantime, he maybecome a messiah for poetry.
“I’d like to start a poetic revolution and get young peoplemore interested in poetry.”
In this photograph, Melvin Young, at the microphone, andKalup Alexander energize the audience with freestylingpoetry expression, while Jim Ku and Belton Lubas providethe backup.
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Making an Art of Precollege Programs
The program has grown in size and reputationeach year. The Coca-Cola Foundation and theDepartment of Art co-sponsor workshop scholar-ships, which help attract low-income students, andthe department also offers full scholarships to twoJumpstart students each year.
A similar program in the Department of Music isaimed at talented high school vocalists. This six-day residential music camp has been offered forthe last 10 years and it, too, grows each year.Students study singing and stage performance withOSU faculty, taking small group and solo lessons.At the end of the week, they create an energeticfinal public performance.
OSU’s University Theatre is also taking theplunge. It now offers a unique pre-college summertheatre camp for high school students, teachingthem skills in period-style work includingShakespeare, Molière, and Greek tragedies andcomedies.
“To my knowledge, this is one of the only summer theatre camps around for kids that focuses on classic acting,” said Marion O. Rossi of the University Theatre. “One of our goals is toencourage students of all ages to study, understandand truly appreciate the value of classic texts, particularly Shakespeare.”
An increasing number of high schools through-out the Northwest are reluctantly shutting downtheir programs in the arts to save money. Thesecuts have left a number of talented students with-out the specialized training in the arts that theyneed. Oregon State University is taking a leader-ship role in filling that void.
The Jumpstart program offered by the OSUDepartment of Art is the prototype for these newefforts at offering quality curriculum in the arts.Begun in 1994, Jumpstart is a three-week pre-college visual arts workshop aimed at talentedteens from ages 15 to 18.
Students get specialized instruction in traditionalart forms, including drawing, sculpture, photog-raphy and printmaking, and in non-traditionalforms, from digital communication to graphicdesign. Students also attend seminars on dance,music and theatre, and meet professionals in thefield. During their three-week stay, they will produce a portfolio of work that is critiqued andexhibited.
“Jumpstart cannot replace the programs lost inhigh school budget cuts,” said program directorJohn Maul. “But we can offer professional instruc-tion and a three-week ‘immersion’ in specializedtopics that high schools would be hard-pressed toemulate.”
Singer and the Stage ClassicQuest
Jumpstart
