Dr. Richard Feynman Collection

Theoretical physicist Dr. Richard Feynman, a Nobel Prize in Physics Laureate, is "widely regarded as the most brilliant, influential, and iconoclastic figure in his field in the post-World War II era." Read his bio on Encyclopedia Britannica.

Photograph portrait of Richard Feynman, theoretical physicist

Collection Overview

Feynman was a group leader in the Manhattan Project and a member of the Rodgers Commission that investigated the 1986 space shuttle Challenger catastrophe. During the presidential commission hearing, Feynman performed his now iconic ice-water experiment to demonstrate that cold weather affected the integrity of the rubber seals. A dynamic teacher, Feynman is also well-known for a series of engaging introductory physics course lectures presented at Caltech in the 1960s. Located in the Math/Physics/Astronomy Library, the Feynman Lectures on Physics—The Complete Audio Collection is a set of 20 compact discs of the original audio recordings of these lectures. The listener experiences Feynman's enthusiastic and sometimes humorously self-deprecating lecture style along with his responses to student questions. This audio collection and several books, including a collection of his letters edited by his daughter, were purchased through the Jessie A. Rodman Fund. The book containing Feynman's doctoral thesis was purchased through the Craig M. Merrihue Memorial Fund. Several of Feynman's books are on reserve at the Math/Physics/Astronomy Library for students enrolled in physics courses.

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