The collection consists of oceanographer Frederick H. Fisher's research files, professional correspondence and writings.
Frederick H. Fisher Papers, 1937-2005 (bulk 1960-2005) (SMC 107)
Extent: 17.6 Linear feet (44 archives boxes)
Frederick Hendrick Fisher (1927-2005) was a research oceanographer and oceanographic engineer. He received his Ph.D. in physics from the University of Washington in 1957. Fisher joined the Marine Physical Laboratory (MPL) of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography as a graduate Research Physicist in 1955, and was eventually elevated to Research Oceanographer and Lecturer at Scripps in 1967-1968. In 1963 he became Director of Research for Havens Industries of San Diego, which worked on the desalination of sea water by reverse osmosis. Fisher was Associate Director of MPL from 1987 to 1993, and made substantial contributions to the fields of physical oceanography and underwater acoustics. He chaired several scientific associations, published extensively and received three patents. He was a co-designer of the 1962 Floating Instrument Platform (FLIP) and served as the Chief Scientist on numerous FLIP expeditions, studying sound propagation and absorption in sea water. His research on ocean salts led to the discovery of boric acid as the cause of anomalous low frequency relaxation in the ocean.
The collection consists of research files, professional correspondence, writings and photographs detailing Frederick H. Fisher's work at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography's Marine Physical Laboratory. Subjects of note include Fisher's involvement with the Acoustical Society of America, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the National Science Foundation and the Office of Naval Research. It includes Fisher's laboratory notebooks, CONTRACK papers, research proposals, Floating Instrument Platform (FLIP) papers, professional correspondence, and published works.
Arranged in five series: 1) BIOGRAPHICAL FILES, 2) SUBJECT FILES, 3) CORRESPONDENCE, 4) WRITINGS and 5) SLIDES.
SERIES 1: BIOGRAPHICAL FILES contains curricula vitae and biographical information documenting Fisher's career.
SERIES 2: SUBJECT FILES consists of Fisher's research files. It includes documentation of scientific association activities, projects and proposals, laboratory notebooks, figures and graphs, lectures, photographs, FLIP expedition logs and general research materials. The series is arranged alphabetically, maintaining Fisher's original folder headings and organization.
SERIES 3: CORRESPONDENCE contains letters, faxes and emails to and from colleagues, publishing companies, professional contacts, scientific associations and personal acquaintances.
SERIES 4: WRITINGS contains manuscripts and published works and essays, arranged chronologically.
SERIES 5: SLIDES contains color images of FLIP, as well as black and white images of miscellaneous figures, charts and graphs.