Dear YSM Readers,
I write to you as the Archivist of the Yale Scientific Magazine with our second newsletter. This installment highlights specific themes that emerge from articles found in the archives of the Yale Scientific Magazine, from our first issue in 1894 to the present day. It is with great pleasure that I present our second edition to you below.
The Development of Science at Yale
“The Yale Botanical Garden and Preserve” – May 1929
By: G. E. Nichols, Professor of Botany, Yale University
“The Heavy-ion Accelerator at Yale” – December 1959
By: E. Robert Beringer, Director, Heavy-Ion Accelerator Laboratory, Yale University
“Problems and Perspectives in Yale Science” – March 1962
By: Kingman Brewster, Jr., Provost, Yale University
“Old and New Cultures at Yale” – March 1962
By: William C. DeVane, Dean, Yale College
“Kline Geology – A New Building” – November 1963
By: Yale Scientific Magazine Editorial Board
“The Future of Science at Yale” – January 1964
By: Steven Weller
“New Engineering and Applied Science Center” – March 1966
By: Yale Scientific Magazine Editorial Board
“The Educational Goals of Yale Engineering” – October 1966
By: Felix Zweig, Professor of Engineering and Applied Science, Yale College
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It is an exciting time to be a STEM student at Yale. Recently, there has been a special focus on that elevated corner of campus many of us call home: Science Hill. Though slightly inconvenient for students living past the “New Colleges,” Science Hill has become Yale’s bustling center of science research and education. Surrounded by an abundance of temporary fencing and the constant whir of heavy machinery, Science Hill is clear evidence of Yale’s commitment to advancing STEM. In March of this year, the redesigned Peabody Museum opened its doors to Yale students and the larger community, showcasing its extensive collections of minerals and fossils. Following a four-year renovation period, Kline Tower reopened last year, offering new study spaces, classrooms, and a stunning view of the city of New Haven from its highest floors. Yale’s investment in the sciences culminated in the unveiling of the Upper Science Hill Development—a six-hundred-thousand-square-foot project promising state-of-the-art labs, student facilities, and a new structure called the Physical Sciences and Engineering Building, set to be completed in April of 2030.
These developments reflect Yale’s long history of STEM advancement. To the pre-meds pushing through their organic chemistry classes, the engineers at their electrical boards, and the computer scientists debugging their codes: the development happening on campus is Yale’s promise to invest in us and our futures.
In this archival newsletter, we spotlight eight articles from the 1920s to 1960s that detail the evolution of Yale’s campus and the facilities that have become student hubs of STEM innovation. With this physical growth came intellectual expansion and new debates about what should be taught in Yale’s classrooms. As such, you will find viewpoints written by students, professors, and administrators discussing the pedagogical goals of science courses and the future of STEM at Yale.
Despite the continual changes in Yale’s landscape and pedagogy, the Yale Scientific Magazine has been a proud fixture of Yale’s STEM scene. For over a century, this magazine has served as a forum for student expression and a record of the most exciting developments in science at the University. So, as you get in your steps while scaling Science Hill or skirting around its construction zones, I urge you to read through these perspectives, browse the pages for buildings you might recognize, and, as always, to enjoy.
Sincerely,
Matthew Blair, Archivist
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The digitization of the Yale Scientific Magazine would not be possible without the help of our supporters. This project is the culmination of efforts between the Yale Science and Engineering Association (YSEA); Yale Printing and Publishing Services (YPPS), who led the digitization operation; the Beinecke Rare Books and Manuscripts Library; the Yale Library System; and Benjamin Franklin College. Special thanks to Milton Young and Joseph Cerro of YSEA; Patricia Smith and her team at YPPS; Lindsay Barnett, Bethany Seeger, Michael Lotstein, Jeanne Lowry, and Melissa Grafe from the Yale Library System; Benjamin Gaunt at Eli Scholar; and Head Jordan Peccia and Maria Bouffard of Benjamin Franklin College. This project demonstrates the truest sense of and at Yale.