The Caltech Archives and Special Collections, a department of Caltech Library, facilitates understanding of Caltech’s role in the history of science and technology, and of the research and lives of its community. We collect, organize, preserve, exhibit, and make available for research the records that document this history, both tangible and digital.
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Search the Archives and Special Collections for faculty papers, historical images, oral histories, and more:
- David M. Grether Oral History Now LiveApril 3, 2025
In this recently published interview with Heidi Aspaturian, David Grether (1938–2021), professor of economics, emeritus, discusses his life and career and shares his thoughts and observations about the role and evolution of liberal arts studies at Caltech from his unique vantage point as two-time chair of Caltech’s Division of Humanities and Social Sciences (1982–1992, 2006–2007). The complex collegial and institutional relationship between Caltech’s lone liberal arts division and its five science/engineering divisions on the one hand, and between the humanists and social scientists grouped together within HSS, on the other, is a recurring theme of this retrospective.
Grether recalls his upbringing in Berkeley, California, and the roots of his early interest in social and economic problems, leading to undergraduate and graduate study in economics at UC Berkeley and Stanford respectively, and to several years as assistant professor of economics at Yale. Joining Caltech’s economics faculty in 1971, he gradually shifted much of his research focus from econometrics to behavioral economics and was instrumental in establishing the new field of experimental economics at Caltech in the 1970s. He talks about his impressions of the campus and numerous colleagues during these early years, and about the atmosphere in HSS during a time of significant transition, marked by the introduction of a PhD program in social science, differences over the future direction of the division, and the contrasting personal styles and academic agendas of consecutive HSS division chairs H. Smith, R. Huttenback, and R. Noll, whom he succeeded as chair in 1982.
Grether’s detailed account of his experiences as HSS chair includes his interactions with a succession of Caltech provosts (J. Roberts, R. Vogt, B. Kamb, and P. Jennings), as well as faculty recruitment, fundraising, the expansion or introduction of research programs in the history of science, Asian studies, and neuroeconomics, the controversy surrounding the 1985 closure of Caltech’s Baxter Art Gallery, and a recap of related academic, administrative, and personnel issues. The oral history concludes with an overview of Grether’s later research work, his involvement in campus faculty committees, most notably his tenure as chair of the undergraduate admissions committee, and general reflections on his Caltech career.
- Crossing Over: Art and Science at Caltech, 1920–2020September 19, 2024
In fall 2024, Caltech Library is hosting Crossing Over: Art and Science at Caltech, 1920–2020, an expansive public exhibition that weaves together the history of science with historical and contemporary art. How, it asks, have scientists and engineers used images and collaborated with artists to discover, invent, and communicate? The exhibition features displays of about 250 objects, most drawn from the Caltech Archives and Special Collections, including rare books, paintings, drawings, photographs, scientific instruments, molecular models, and video. It will be open September 27 – December 15, 11–4 Wednesday – Sunday.
- Progress and Insights from the GALCIT Archival ProjectSeptember 18, 2024
Photos found in the GALCIT collection of the JPL Arroyo Seco rocket experiments, c. 1936
A GALCIT Update by DiAndra Reyes
The GALCIT archival project has made tremendous progress in its first year, making headway to ensure that the rich history of the Graduate Aerospace Laboratories, California Institute of Technology (GALCIT) is properly preserved and accessible for future generations.
Over the past year, Mariella Soprano, Senior Collections and Special Projects archivist, has collaborated with Jamie Meighen-Sei, Department Administrator, Aerospace (GALCIT), and the GALCIT Department (Division of Engineering and Applied Science) to develop a robust collection plan, implement access policies, select materials, and organize the refurbishment of archival storage in the GALCIT Firestone basement. GALCIT Archival Processing intern DiAndra Reyes has been instrumental in this effort, describing materials, creating a comprehensive inventory, and rehousing them in acid-free folders and archival boxes. DiAndra has processed over 80 bankers’ boxes, resulting in 121 archival boxes of processed materials. She also published the Ten Foot Wind Tunnel Series finding aid, offering a sneak peek into the collection. As DiAndra’s internship concludes, a new intern will continue processing papers, photographs, and audiovisual materials.
Key Findings and Insights So Far
So far the processed GALCIT Collection spans from 1918 to 2005 and documents the extensive history of aeronautical engineering, fluid mechanics, and aerospace research at the GALCIT. It includes materials from significant research projects, wind tunnel developments, collaborations with military and government agencies, and the foundational work of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Some highlights include the Research Projects Series, JPL Series, and Department Series.
The Research Projects Series (1935-1985) documents GALCIT's collaborative research in aerodynamics, materials science, and structural mechanics, including significant projects like ramjet propulsion and the analysis of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapse. The series contains technical papers, classified reports, and correspondence with prominent scientists such as Theodore von Kármán and Frank Malina.
The JPL Series (1939-1986) highlights GALCIT’s early activities with JPL and includes instructional materials for military personnel by GALCIT faculty, early rocket research, and the development and usage of JPL’s supersonic wind tunnel. These materials are invaluable for understanding the collaboration between academic and military-industrial development during World War II.
The Department Series (1929-2005) gives insight into faculty, student, and administrative activities throughout GALCIT’s eighty-year history. Correspondence from prominent faculty like Hans W. Liepmann provides insight into their academic contributions, while classified materials and selective service documents offer a look at how GALCIT navigated national security during periods of sensitive research.