RIAMCO

Rhode Island Archival and Manuscript Collections Online

For Participating Institutions

Simon Ostrach papers (Ms.2007.005)

Brown University Library

Box A
Brown University
Providence, RI 02912
Tel: 401-863-2146


Scope & content

All of the materials within the Simon Ostrach papers are arranged chronologically except where otherwise noted. The papers cover the period from 1940-2005; the bulk of the papers date from 1970 to 2000.

The majority of Dr. Ostrach's papers pertain to his research, the most extensive amount relating to the Surface-Tension Driven Convection Experiments on the United States Microgravity Laboratories (USML-STDCE). The USML-STDCE papers include correspondence, proposals, documentation, analyses, budgets, meetings, Investigators Working Group papers, technical publications, training materials, presentations, publicity, and reference materials.

The general research papers are comprised of Dr. Ostrach's research outside the USML-STDCE project. He gave many presentations on his research and engineering education at professional conferences and to civic groups. Material related to his presentations contains the text as well as slides he used in the presentations.Included in his research proposals are copies of the submitted proposals, drafts, and backup material.

Dr. Ostrach was a prolific writer and the papers contain published material, manuscripts, typescripts, galley proofs, and supporting documents such as charts, photographs, transparencies, and analysis notes. Some of the drafts may contain published material that was not easily identifiable (for example, there may have been no title to identify the material). There are also files related to monograph series edited by Dr. Ostrach and published by Pergamon Press.

Included in the writings is material written by other authors, including colleagues and students. The bulk of the writings by other authors are associated with the Analysis Division of the Air Material Command (Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio). In June 1946 the Air Material Command set up a project in the Brown University Graduate Division of Applied Mathematics to review foreign and domestic work in high speed aerodynamics. Documents were screened and, in many instances, translated; many of the technical reports have been translated from German and Russian into English. The writings by other authors are arranged alphabetically by author.

Dr. Ostrach was very active professionally and advocated for engineering through the National Research Council, National Academy of Engineering, and various NASA advisory groups. He also advised a number of colleges and universities in the creation of their engineering departments. For his contributions to the engineering profession Dr. Ostrach was recognized with honors from esteemed organizations such as the American Society for Mechanical Engineers, Florida State University, and Beijing University.

Dr. Ostrach attended and presented at many conferences during his career and material related to those conferences is in the collection. The bulk of material related to conference presentations should be in the first series but copies of some presentations may be found within the conference materials.

While professional correspondence is filed with the projects to which it pertains, a small portion was set apart by Dr. Ostrach and remains grouped separately. This professional correspondence relates mainly to conferences, committees, and reference letters for students.

Material related to Dr. Ostrach's teaching career at Case Western Reserve University includes lecture notes, Ph.D. qualifying exams, and reports. Material related to his early corporate consulting can be found under other employment.

The papers related to Dr. Ostrach's education at Brown University contain class notes, homework, and material related to his theses (masters and doctoral).

The biographical and photograph series contains biographical sketches and articles about Dr. Ostrach as well as the script from a NASA film made about him. The photographs are of Dr. Ostrach and his wife, Margaret.