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Robert E. Davies Papers
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Held at: University of Pennsylvania: University Archives and Records Center [Contact Us]3401 Market Street, Suite 210, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the University of Pennsylvania: University Archives and Records Center. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.
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Robert E. Davies was a Benjamin Franklin Professor and University Professor who taught biochemistry in the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. In addition to his teaching and research, Davies was an active member of the University community through his participation in University Council and the Faculty Senate. Outside the University he was engaged with professional organizations related to academic freedom, affirmative action, and quality of teaching.
Robert E. Davies was born on August 17, 1919 in Barton-upon-Irwell, Lancashire, England. He attended the University of Manchester where he earned his B.Sc., M.Sc., and D.Sc.; and received his Ph.D. from the University of Sheffield. After teaching at both Sheffield and Oxford, he immigrated to the United States in 1955 where he became a professor in biochemistry in the School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. In 1966 Davies moved from the School of Medicine to the School of Veterinary Medicine and became chair of the department of animal biology. During his long career at Penn, Davies held primary and secondary appointments in six schools, and taught in seventeen departments. Davies was a prolific researcher – first in muscle metabolism and later astrobiology, publishing over 260 scientific papers, and lecturing in the United States, Europe and Asia. Davies also published hundreds of articles on academic freedom, affirmative action, and the measurement of teaching quality. Davies was a fellow of the Royal Society, an affiliate of the Royal Society of Medicine, and an honorary life member of the New York Academy of Science; in addition to being a member of over twenty scholarly organizations.
Davies was also active in the University community, heading the John Morgan Society, Sigma Xi and Faculty Research Club; and chairing the Senate Committee on Academic Freedom and Responsibility, Faculty Grievance Commission, and numerous other Faculty Senate and University Council committees. He also held the three Faculty Senate Chairs from 1988 – 1991. Davies was named Benjamin Franklin Professor of Molecular Biology in 1970, and in 1977 became a University Professor. He also belonged to a worldwide group of academic activists who championed academic freedom. He helped create the legal defense fund of the Women for Equal Opportunity at the University of Pennsylvania (WEOUP), and served as an expert witness in grievance cases and lawsuits involving women and minorities. In recognition of his efforts to eliminate sexual and racial bias in faculty appointments, the Association for Women in Science created the Helen and Robert Davies Award in 1978.
Davies was a lifelong explorer and outdoorsman – having climbed the Matterhorn, Mt. Robeson, and Mt. Fujiyama. He died on March 6, 1993 in Golspie Scotland of a heart attack at a hotel on his way to a favorite childhood climbing site in the Cairn Gorm Range near Aberdeen. Davies was married to Helen C. Davies for 32 years. She is (in 2013) professor of microbiology in and a former associate dean of the School of Medicine.
The Robert E. Davies Papers document his career as a member of the University of Pennsylvania's School of Veterinary Medicine, his active participation in the University Community, and his work as a researcher in biochemistry. Incoming and outgoing correspondence to individuals and organizations related to Davies' career as well as specific University topics, research projects, and publication can be found in the Correspondence series. Davies' activities on the faculty of the School of Veterinary Medicine, and as a member of the University community – particularly his participation on University Council and Faculty Senate, as well as various committees related to equal opportunity, promotion, academic freedom, and grievances are documented in the University of Pennsylvania series. Davies' professional activities and research are found in the Professional series among the four sub-series: General which contains material on a few of the professional organizations Davies belonged to; Research which consist of notes and correspondence of biochemistry and citation projects Davies was involved with; Lectures consists of correspondence, drafts, and programs for various lectures Davies gave through his career; and Works By which contains off-prints and related material to Davies' publications.
The Robert E. Davies Papers are organized into four series: Correspondence, University of Pennsylvania, Professional, and Miscellaneous. The Professional series is further organized into four sub-series: General, Research, Lectures, and Works By. All series and sub-series are arranged alphabetically.
The Robert E. Davies Papers were donated to the University Archives by Helen C. Davies in January 2007 (2007:06).
People
Organization
- University of Pennsylvania. University Council
- University of Pennsylvania. School of Veterinary Medicine
- Faculty Senate
Subject
- Publisher
- University of Pennsylvania: University Archives and Records Center
- Finding Aid Author
- Joseph-James Ahern
- Finding Aid Date
- September 2013
- Access Restrictions
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Access to collections is granted in accordance with the Protocols for the University Archives and Records Center.