Skip to main content

Hans-Peter Eugster papers

 Collection
Identifier: MS-0209

Scope and Contents

This collection has only had a preliminary sorting and has not been completely analyzed.

The collection consists of Eugster's professional papers. These document all phases of Eugster's varied scientific career from collecting raw data up through finished publications for most of his projects. Eugster filed his papers by type, however, many of his projects contain several of these types which are filed in separate series. For example, in 1976 Eugster applied for and received a grant to study "The Depositional Environment of the Green River Formaiton of the Fossil Syncline, Wyoming." The grant application and reports are in the Grants series 8, the field notes and photographs in Series 2, articles presenting the findings are in the Research\Publications series 5, lectures on fossil synclines are in Series 3 and 4, and correspondence among colleagues concerning the research are in the Correspondence series 1.

Dates

  • Creation: 1944-1988

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is housed off-site and requires 48-hours' notice for retrieval. Please contact Special Collections for more information.

Collection is open for use.

Conditions Governing Use

Single copies may be made for research purposes. Researchers are responsible for determining any copyright questions. It is not necessary to seek our permission as the owner of the physical work to publish or otherwise use public domain materials that we have made available for use, unless Johns Hopkins University holds the copyright.

Biographical Note

Hans-Peter Eugster was born at Landquart, Switzerland on November 19, 1925. He studied at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (Eidgenossische Technische Hochschule ETH) in Zurich receiving an Engineer's Diploma in geology in 1948. He then studied under mineralogist Paul Niggli and received his D.Sc. degree from ETH in 1951. That year Eugster came to the United States and studied optical spectroscopy under Louis Ahrens at M.I.T. for one year. He worked as a geochemist for the Carnegie Institution's Geophysical Laboratory in Washington until 1958. Eugster spent most of his teaching career at the Johns Hopkins University becoming a lecturer in 1956, an associate professor in 1958, and full professor in 1960. He served as chairman of the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences from 1983 until 1987. Eugster also held an appointment as adjunct professor at the University of Wyoming from 1970 until his death.

Eugster's research interests were varied. He was an early researcher of the experimental petrology field in which high pressures and temperatures are applied to chemical components to simulate the origins of rock within the earth. He also developed a technique to synthesize minerals at high pressures and temperatures. In the 1960s Eugster pursued low-temperature geochemistry and pioneered the study of salt deposition by evaporation of natural water. Toward the end of his career Eugster began studying the origin of metallic ore deposits. Locations in which Eugster did field work for these studies included the Lake Magadi area of Kenya, the Green River formation in Wyoming, and the Great Salt Lake in Utah. He was the author of numerous articles and books.

Eugster's work was honored by his profession which awarded him the Arthur L. Day Medal (Geological Society of America) in 1971, the V.M. Goldschmidt Medal (Geochemical Society) in 1976, and the Roebling Medal (Mineralogical Society of America) in 1983. He was a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He was a fellow of the Geological Society of America, the Mineralogical Society of America, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the American Geophysical Union.

Eugster died December 17, 1987 and was survived by his second wife Elaine Koppelman and three daughters Erica, Rachel and Sandra.

Extent

30.95 Cubic Feet (24 record center cartons, 2 letter size document boxes, 1 letter half-size document box)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

Hans-Peter Eugster taught geochemistry at Johns Hopkins University from 1958 until his death in 1987. The collection consists of Eugster's professional papers dating from 1944-1988. These document all phases of Eugster's varied scientific career from collecting raw data up through finished publications for most of his projects.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The papers were donated to Special Collections in July 1988 by Elaine Koppelman, Eugster's wife. The papers were packed up in Eugster's office in Olin Hall by the Manuscripts Librarian. No material from Eugster's home was added to the papers from his office.

Related Materials

Hans Eugster's consulting work for the Maryland firm Harry T. Campbell Sons' Corporation was began by Ernst Cloos; these related materials can be found in the Ernst Cloos papers, MS.0124, Special Collections.

General

For more technical details about Eugster's research see the article Eugster wrote in 1978, a copy of which is in Series 9.

Processing Information

Finding aid prepared by Cynthia H. Requardt in January 1989. This collection has only had a preliminary sorting and has not been completely analyzed. Kristen Diehl revised the Biographical and Immediate Source of Acquisition notes in this finding aid in February 2024 to bring them into compliance with Johns Hopkins guidelines for inclusive and conscientious description (2023). The previous version of the finding aid is available upon request.

Title
Hans-Peter Eugster papers
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Finding aid written in English

Repository Details

Part of the Special Collections Repository

Contact:
The Sheridan Libraries
Special Collections
3400 N Charles St
Baltimore MD 21218 USA