Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Access Restrictions

Collection is open to research.

Preferred Citation

Harold J. Morowitz papers, Collection #C0049, Special Collections and Archives, George Mason University Libraries.

Acquisition Information

Collection donated by Harold Morowitz in 1997-1998. Addtional donation by Harold Morowitz in 2011.

Processing Information

Processed by Special Collections and Archives staff. EAD markup completed in February 2009 by Eron Ackerman and Jordan Patty. Finding aid updated by Greta Kuriger Suiter in August 2013.

Biographical Information

Harold J. Morowitz is a biophysicist and Robinson Professor in Biology and Natural Philosophy at George Mason University. Born in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., on December 4, 1927, Morowitz graduated from Poughkeepsie High School in 1944. He studied at Yale University starting in 1948 and earned his Ph.D. in 1951. From 1951-1953 he was a physicist at the National Bureau of Standards. Morowitz was on the staff of the National Heart Institute from 1953-1955 before joining the faculty of Yale University in 1955. At Yale, Morowitz was associate professor of biophysics (1960-1968), professor of molecular biophysics and biochemistry (1968-1988), and master of Pierson College (1981-1986). He joined the faculty of George Mason University in 1988 as a Robinson Professor. Since 1993, Morowitz has directed the Krasnow Institute for Advanced Study. Dr. Morowitz has authored and coauthored several books: Life and the Physical Sciences (with Waterman), 1964; Theoretical and Mathematical Biology, 1965; Energy Flow in Biology, 1968; Entropy for Biologists (with Lucille Morowitz), 1970; Life on the Planet Earth, 1974; Ego Niches,1977; Foundations of Bioenergetics, 1978; The Wine of Life, 1979; Mayonnaise and the Origins of Life, 1985; Cosmic Joy and Local Pain, 1987; The Thermodynamics of Pizza, 1991; Beginnings of Cellular Life (with James Trefil), 1992; The Facts of Life, 1992; and Entropy and the Magic Flute, 1993.

Scope and Content

The collection includes a draft copy of Energy Flow in Biological Systems (published as Energy Flow in Biology), including chapter and appendix notes, calculations for mathematical operations, and correspondence between the author and his editor; a draft copy of Beginnings of Cellular Life, including the index and notes; a draft copy of The Facts of Life with the "author's copy" and the original artwork for the illustrations; and working papers, correspondence, and other documents pertaining to his academic career including original poetry written by Morowitz. Also included is research and correspondence from a project on the history of bioenergetics, for which Morowitz was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1980, and correspondence and documents relating to Biosphere 2.

Arrangement

Original order.

Related Material

Special Collections and Archives also holds the Carol D. Litchfield Microbiology collection and the Clarence E. Larson Science and Technology Oral History collection.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Biochemistry
• Biophysics
• Biosphere 2 (Project)
• College teachers
• Correspondence
• George Mason University
• George Mason University--Faculty
• Molecular biology
• Poetry
• Science -- Study and teaching (Higher) -- United States