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Idaho Academy of Science Visiting Scholars records

 Collection
Identifier: UG 95

Scope and Contents

This collection is a subject file of the following topics and materials: NSF grants, Idaho Academy of Science Visiting Scholars Program, scientists, education, and faculty activities. The scope is from the year 1960 to 1968 (inclusive), and includes papers and paper-based brochures relating to the Idaho Academy of Science Visiting Scholars Program.

Dates

  • Creation: 1960-1968

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Biographical / Historical

Between 1960 and 1968, the University of Idaho was the recipient of grant funding from the National Science Foundation, to engage in the Idaho Academy of Science Visiting Scholars Program. The purpose of the program was to coordinate visits by recognized scientists to Idaho high schools to encourage student interest in the sciences by arranging contact between students and professional scientists. A program brochure with a list of available scientists was created each year and distributed to high schools throughout Idaho. The list showed the scientists’ area of expertise, their career qualifications, possible topics of conversation, and demonstrations. The high schools could fill out a form requesting up to two visits from specific scientists that would match the potential interest of their students. The request forms were matched with the availability of each scientist and trips were arranged. The scientist was required to keep notes from each of the sessions and to track travel expenditures for reimbursement from the grant funds. The high school was required to submit feedback from the administrators, teachers, and students regarding the visit. Grant revenues and expenses were tracked and submitted to the NSF annually.

In addition to program creation materials, the program director also kept records of grant fiscal reports, detailed trip checklists, trip ledgers, correspondence with current and potential scientists, and program brochures from other state Visiting Scholars Programs.

One prominent University of Idaho faculty member, Dr. William Cone, was involved with the program and retired in June 1964. Retirement celebration invitation lists, celebration planning materials, letters of congratulations, and contributions to a scholarship fund in honor of Dr. Cone, are also among the materials in the Visiting Scholars Program archive.

A representative checklist from each high school visited is included for all academic years between 1961-1965 (inclusive). Within each academic year, the checklists are arranged alphabetically by the name of the high school.

Extent

2 Cubic Feet

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

The collection materials are specific to the Idaho Academy of Science Visiting Scholars Program including annual program brochures from Idaho and other states, detailed grant reports, ledger books, high school trip feedback, trip checklists, correspondence, and planning materials for a retirement reception for Dr. William Cone, a university faculty involved in the project.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged by subject and date, when possible. Checklists are arranged alphabetically by name of high school within academic years. If a high school had more than one checklist during an academic year, only one representative checklist from each high school was kept for the archive. These were chosen as the best possible representative checklist from that school for each given academic year.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Materials were transferred from the University of Idaho Chemistry Department in 1992 (MA 1992-06).

Title
Guide to Idaho Academy of Science Visiting Scholars records
Author
Finding aid prepared by Kim Salisbury and Zoe Stave, for HIST 501/ENGL 504 in Spring 2023
Date
2023
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the University of Idaho Library, Special Collections and Archives Repository