Rita R. Colwell papers

Collection — Multiple Containers

Identifier: MSA 396

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Rita R. Colwell papers contain materials created and collected by Dr. Rita R. Colwell during her professional career as a microbiologist. The materials include correspondence, notes, manuscripts, publications, research material, speeches, calendars, and awards. The contents relate to Colwell's research topics such as cholera and other infectious diseases, health, climate change, environmental policy, science and technology including sequencing, intelligence efforts, national security and bioterrorism, and organizations or people with whom she was affiliated.

Dates

Creation: 1956 - 2019

Creator

Colwell, Rita R., 1934- (Person)

Language of Materials

Materials are primary in English. Other languages present are French, Spanish, Dutch, German, Italian, Norwegian, Chinese, Japanese, Swedish, and Bengali.

Access Information

Majority of the collection is open for research. Some materials have been restricted per the donor's request or because of the presence of personal identifying information.

Copyright and Use Information

Portions of material in this collection are in the public domain. Other material copyrights held by Purdue University or original creator. Consult with Purdue University Archives and Special Collections prior to reproduction of materials.

Biographical Information

Dr. Rita Rossi Colwell is a microbiologist, founder of CosmosID, and a distinguished professor at both the University of Maryland at College Park and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She was born in Beverly, Massachusetts to Louis and Louise Rossi and was the seventh of eight children. Colwell earned her Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Bacteriology in 1956 and Master of Science (M.S) in Genetics from Purdue University. Colwell moved on to the University of Washington as a research assistant in 1957 where in 1961 she earned her doctorate (Ph.D.) in Oceanography. Colwell stayed at the University of Washington as an assistant professor, followed by some brief work with the Canadian National Research Council (CNRC). In 1964, she became an associate professor at Georgetown University and in 1966 she secured tenure. Colwell accepted a tenured professorship at the University of Maryland in 1972 where she later served as the president of the University of Maryland's Biotechnology Institute. From 1998-2004, Colwell was the director for the National Science Foundation, becoming the first woman and first biological scientist to head the federal agency. In 2008, she founded the company CosmosID. She has also served on numerous science-related boards and associations and belongs to many national and international science academies. Colwell is well known for her work in microbiology, ecology, infectious disease, public health, and computer and satellite technology and she is one of the world's leading experts on cholera. In the 1960's, she became the first researcher in the United States to develop a computer program to analyze bacteriological data and, during her tenure at Georgetown, was the first to discover that the bacterium that causes cholera naturally occurred in the areas around Chesapeake Bay. Dr. Rita Rossi Colwell has received 55 honorary degrees from institutions of higher education, including an Alma Mater from Purdue University, Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star bestowed by the Emperor of Japan, 2006 National Medal of Science of the United States, 2010 Stockholm Water Prize, and 2017 Vannevar Bush Award. There is also a geological site in Antarctica, "Colwell Massif," that has been named in recognition of her work in polar regions.

Extent

44.425 Cubic Feet (39 cubic foot boxes, four letter-size full-length manuscript boxes, three legal-size full-length manuscript boxes, three shoe boxes, three flat boxes, and one flat folder)

Additional Description

Arrangement

The Rita R. Colwell papers are arranged topically into nine series.

Correspondence
Writing and Research
Boards and Committees
Events and Speeches
Professional Activities
Awards and Honors
Canon U.S. Life Sciences, Inc.
Calendars
Personal

Access Information

Address books in series 8 are fragile and should be handled with care.

Box 48 is not accessible to researchers as they hold only the digital media carriers for digital content.

Born-digital content have been processed and digital use copies can only be accessed in the Purdue Archives and Special Collections reading room. Contact an archivist at least 48 hours in advance if interested in using this material.

Acquisition Information

Materials donated by Rita R. Colwell in seven installments on August 28, 2015, September 4, 2015, September 17, 2015, November 30, 2017, January 30, 2019, November 7, 2019, and November 12, 2020.

Related Materials

MSO 1, Purdue University Archives and Special Collections Oral History Program Collection, Purdue University Archives and Special Collections, Purdue University Libraries.

Additional material related to Rita R. Colwell's career at the National Science Foundation can be found at the Library of Congress: Rita R. Colwell papers, Library of Congress.

Additional material related to Rita R. Colwell's professional activities with the American Society of Microbiology can be found at the Center for the History of Microbiology/ASM Archives: Rita Colwell papers, Center for the History of Microbiology/ASM Archives (CHOMA)

Processing Information

All materials have been rehoused in acid-free folders and boxes. Rusted staples and paper clips have been removed from the materials and plastic paper clips or file folder inserts have been used in their place. Oversized materials have been kept in their original series; however, items requiring storage in a larger container have been moved to a box labeled oversize. The original order of the materials has been retained whenever possible. Rolled items have been flattened and placed in archival folders. Some papers in Series 1, Sub-Series 1 and Series 1, Sub-Series 2 that were previously wet have been hepa-vacuumed to eliminate any presence of mold. Publications with one article about or written by Colwell have been separated from the publication and retained and the publication discarded. Portions of the collection contain sensitive information and have been restricted or redacted in order to respect confidentiality. These items have been separated from their original location in the collection and housed in restricted materials containers.