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Robert M. Gates collection

 Collection — Box: Communal Collections 6, Placement: 25
Identifier: MSA 119

Scope and Contents

Front cover of Purdue Alumnus, December 1943, vol. XXXI, no. 3, features Robert M. Gates receiving the coveted "M" from Admiral Howard L. Vickery, Vice Chairman of the U.S. Maritime Commission. Page one also features a column about Gates.

Dates

  • Creation: undated

Creator

Access Information

The collection is open for research.

Copyright and Use Information

Some material in this collection is in the public domain, while other material copyrights are held by Purdue University. Consult with Purdue University Archives and Special Collections prior to reproduction of materials.

Biographical Information

Robert M. Gates was a member of the Class of 1907. While in school, Gates took a prominent part in the activities of the Athletic Association, the Mechanical Engineering Society, was a Cadet Captain during his junior year, and a Major the following year. He was a member of the Dramatic and Glee Clubs.

After graduation Gates practiced as a consulting engineer and spent several years in the materials handling field in the Cleveland area. Frederic Schaff, an '07 classmate, convinced Mr. Gates to join the Superheater Company, of which he subsequently became vice president. From 1933 to 1939 he was also vice president of the Combustion Engineering Company and was then elected president of the Air Preheater Corporation. He was an active member in the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, having served on many important committees, also as a manager, vice president and president.

Gates was also a member of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers, the American Iron and Steel Institute and Newcomen Society. He also belonged to the Engineers Downtown Athletic, Union League, University Glee, Purdue Alumni, and Scarsdale Golf Clubs.

Gates was awarded an honorary doctorate in Engineering by Purdue University in 1943. He delivered a talk entiteld "From British heritage to American achievement in engineering" at a national Newcomen Society dinner, held at New York on November 16, 1944; the talk was later published by Princeton University Press.

Extent

0.025 Cubic Feet (One folder)

Language of Materials

English

Acquisition Information

Source and date of acquisition are unknown.

Processing Information

The material has been placed in an acid-free folder and an acid-free box.

Title
Robert M. Gates collection
Status
Completed
Author
Mary A. Sego
Date
2020-06-25
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
English
Edition statement
Second edition. Collection description first completed 2012-03-07.

Revision Statements

  • 2020-03-27: Collection description updated by Adelle Rogers.
  • 2020-06-25: Collection description updated to new standards by Mary A. Sego.

Repository Details

Part of the Purdue University Archives and Special Collections Repository

Contact:
504 Mitch Daniels Boulevard
West Lafayette Indiana 47907 United States
765-494-2839