Scope and Content Note
The papers of Charles Maria Herzfeld (1925-2017) span the years 1892-2014, with the bulk of the material dating from 1946 to 2014. The papers cover his career as a physicist, a science and technology manager, and an advisor to policymakers in the federal government and in private industry as a consultant in both sectors. The collection is organized into seven series: General Corresponence, Positions and Affiliations, Speeches and Writings, Subject File, Miscellany, Classified, and Oversize.
The collection documents the major phases of Herzfeld’s professional career: at the National Bureau of Standards where he headed the Heat Division and advanced to associate director, at the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) where he progressed from director of the ballistic missile defense program to director of the agency, at ITT Corporation where he directed corporate research and technology programs, and at Aetna, Jacobs and Ramo Technology Ventures, where he was a vice chairman of the high technology venture capital group. Also documented is his tenure as Director of Defense Research and Engineering and later as senior consultant to the director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy in the George Bush administration. His work as as a consultant to government, commercial, and not-for-profit organizations in subsequent years is also well-documented, as is membership on numerous advisory boards and his long association with the United States Navy. A major focus of Herzfeld’s work featured throughout the papers is science and technology research and development, particularly in the areas of defense and information technology, and the application of developments in the realms of national security, warfare, and intelligence. A major portion of his work took place in the context of the Cold War, while a focus in the last years covered was combating terrorism.
The collection's series are listed and briefly described below. A fuller description of each series and a list of its contents can be accessed in the series descriptions within the container list.
The General Correspondence series consists of letters received from friends and colleagues in the scientific, military, governmental, and business arenas as well as some copies of letters sent.
Positions and Affiliations, the largest series, comprises files relating to Herzfeld’s employment and professional activities – the places he worked as an employee or as a consultant, the numerous advisory boards on which he served, the think tanks where he participated in studies and working groups, and other organizations where he was a member.
The Speeches and Writings series contains groupings covering sixty years of Herzfeld’s articles and scientific papers, speeches and remarks, book reviews, and congressional testimony, as well as material relating to his memoir, A Life at Full Speed: A Journey of Struggle and Discovery.
The Subject File contains scientific papers, articles, reports, and other material on topics related to Herzfeld’s professional activities, areas of interest, and scientific background.
The Miscellany series holds additional items from and information about Herzfeld’s life and activities, some of which pertain to his personal life.
The remaining series contain Classified and Oversize material.