Edward Wesley Hughes Oral History Interview

Interviewed by Graham Berry

Abstract

An interview in November 1979, with Edward W. Hughes, senior research associate in the Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering. BS, Cornell, 1924; PhD, 1935. 1938, becomes research fellow at Caltech, working with Linus Pauling; teaches war-training courses. Postwar work for Shell Development Company; returns to Caltech as research associate in 1946.

He recalls the early days of crystallography in the U.S.; his good fortune to work with Sir Lawrence Bragg while still at Cornell; later work at Caltech with Pauling; defense of alpha helix before the Royal Society. Leeds lectureship. Discusses Pauling’s part in the eventual discovery of DNA structure; Pauling’s sponsorship of 1957 U.N. petition against nuclear testing. Recalls arrival of women as graduate students at Caltech. He concludes with remarks on his current writing, on his wife’s secretarial work for Pauling and as head of Chem Wives; and his participation on the chemistry division’s safety committee.

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Edward Wesley Hughes, interview by Graham Berry, Caltech Archives Oral History Project, November 20, 1979, https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechOH:OH_Hughes_E.