Organized Collections
Science Advisory Board, 1925-1941
The National Research Council's Science Advisory Board (SAB) was created by an executive order issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in July 1933. The order authorized the SAB for a two- year period, during which time the NRC was granted the authority to appoint committees within the SAB to address scientific problems of the various government departments. Unlike the Research Council, which had come to be organized around specific fields of science and technology, the SAB's organization was explicitly designed around its relationship with the government. Accordingly, the SAB's first undertaking was a survey of the overall relationship between science and the government. After this and other initial successes, the SAB was expanded in size as decreed by an executive order of 1934.
By 1935 it was clear that, in an atmosphere colored by the constitutional questions raised by aspects of the New Deal, the SAB's status as an advisory body to the President made it vulnerable to political control. In addition, the SAB's anomalous position within the Academy organization itself precipitated a conflict of jurisdiction between the Academy and Research Council. For these reasons, it was decided that upon its expiration, the SAB should be superceded by a more broadly representative group reporting to the President of the NAS. Accordingly, an executive order of July 1935 extended the life of the SAB until the following December, at which time its functions were assumed by a newly reorganized NAS Committee on Government Relations which was itself dissolved in October 1939.
The Papers of the Science Advisory Board include the records of the NAS Committees on Government Relations and Naval Research. The collection contains correspondence, meeting minutes, and reports, and covers the years 1925-1941 for a span of 10 linear feet.
Committee on Government Relations, Government Relations & Science Advisory Committee, and National Research Council Science Advisory Board, 1925-1941: Index to Collection
ADMINISTRATION
EXECUTIVE Board
Committee on Naval Research
Joint with Science Advisory Board
Possibilities for Scientific Services to Navy Dept: 1935
Projects: Research Conducted at Colleges & Universities: 1935-1936
Projects: Research Conducted at Laboratories of Industrial Corporations: 1935
Projects: Scientific Personnel for Naval Reserve
Nominations: 1936
Proposed: 1933
General: 1936
Committee on Relationships with War & Navy Depts
1940-1941
1936-1939
Government Relations & Science Advisory Committee: 1936
Science Advisory Board
Appointments: Members
Executive Order 6725: 1934
Executive Order 6238: 1933
Proposed: 1933-1934
Committee on Biological Abstracts: 1935
Committee on Boulder Dam Survey: 1933-1935
Committee on Bureau of Chemistry & Soils
Beginning of Program: 1934
Meetings: 1934-1935
General: 1934-1935
Committee on Bureau of Standards: 1933-1935
Committee on Design & Construction of Airships
Beginning of Program: 1935
Supporting Data: 1934-1935
General: 1935
Committee on Food & Drug Legislation Advisory to USDA
Proposed: 1933
Committee on Geological Survey & Bureau of Mines
Conservation of Mineral Resources: 1934
General: 1934-1935
Committee on Land Use
Conference: Chicago: 1934
Conference: Washington DC: 1934
General: 1934
Committee on Mapping Services of Federal Government
Appointments: Members: 1934
Beginning of Program: 1934
Memoranda: 1934
Questionnaire: 1934
General: 1934
Committee on Medicine & Public Health: 1934-1935
Committee on New Industries: 1934
Committee on Policy of Government in Relation to Scientific Research: 1933-1934
Committee on Railway Research
Supporting Data: 1934
General: 1934
Committee on Relation between Fundamental Sciences & Scientific Study of Human Problems: 1933
Committee on Relation of Patent System to Stimulation of New Industries: 1934-1935
Committee on Signaling for Safety at Sea
Appointments: Members: 1935
Meetings: Summary of Discussion: 1935
Meetings: Transcript of Discussion: 1935
General: 1935
Committee on Soil Survey & Research: 1935
Committee on War & Navy Depts
Conference on Research: 1934
General: 1933-1935
Committee on Weather Bureau: 1933-1935
Continuation of Board to December
Executive Order 7100: 1935
Establishment
Events Leading to Issuance of Executive Order 6238: 1933
Executive Order 6239 Issued to NRC: 1933-1934
General: 1933
Executive Committee
Meetings: 1933-1935
General: 1933-1935
Meetings
Jun 1935
Mar 1935
Dec 1934
Nov 1934
Sep 1934
Apr 1934
Feb 1934
Jan 1934
Nov 1933
Sep 1933
Aug 1933
Minutes: Bound Compilation: 1933-1935
Members: Listing: 1933-1935
Program & Financial Problem: 1934
Projects
Archaeological Surveys in Tennessee Valley: 1933
Consolidation of Mapping Services of US Government: 1933-1934
Consumers' Standards: 1933-1934
David W Taylor Model Basin: 1933-1934
Development of Research on Plant Pathology: 1934
Dues to International Scientific Unions: 1933-1934
Land-Grant Colleges: Survey: 1934-1935
National Program for Putting Science to Work for National Welfare: 1934-1935
Recovery Program of Science Progress: 1933
Scientific Work in British Government: 1934
Study of Occupational Standards: 1933
General: 1933-1935
Relationship between NAS & NRC
Annual Report of NAS for 1920: Annotated by NAS President: 1934
Documents re Origin of Executive Order for NRC: 1934
Relationship of SAB to NAS
Report: First: Request for Approval by NAS: 1934
General: 1934
Report: Second
Comments & Criticisms: 1935
Publicity: Newspaper Articles: 1935
Publicity: Press Releases: 1935
Publicity: General: 1935
Request for Permission to Publish Government Agency Portions of Report: 1935
General: 1935
Report: First
Distribution: 1934-1935
Publicity: 1934
General: 1934-1935
Services of Division of Engineering & Industrial Research
Liaison between Dept of Commerce & National Recovery Administration: 1933-1935
General: 1933-1935
Termination
Activities Transferred to NAS Government Relations & Science Advisory Committee: 1935
General: 1935
General: 1933-1935
INSTITUTIONS Associations Individuals
American Association for Advancement of Science: 1933-1934
General: 1933-1935
ORGANIZATION: NAS
Committee on Government Relations
Activities: Reports to NAS: 1929-1935
Appointments: Members: 1935
Beginning of Program: 1925-1926
Executive Committee: 1935
Meetings: 1926-1935
Name Change to Government Relations & Science Advisory Committee: 1935
Projects: Consideration of Report on Better Government Personnel: 1935
Projects: Role of Science in National Planning: 1934
Reorganization of Committee: 1935
Subcommittee on Biological Sciences: 1934-1935
Subcommittee on Physical Sciences: 1934-1935
General: 1927-1935
Council of the Academy
Executive Committee: Meetings: 1934
Meetings: 1934-1935
Government Relations & Science Advisory Committee
Activities: Reports to NAS: 1936-1939
Appointments: Members: 1936-1939
Beginning of Program
US President's Announcement: 1935-1934
Committee on Army Air Corps Problems
Appointments: Members: 1938-1939
Beginning of Program: 1938
Projects: Development of Beryllium Alloys: 1938-1939
Projects: Development of True Plastic Materials for Aircraft Construction: 1939-1940
Subcommittee on De-icing: 1940-1941
Subcommittee on Elimination of Rain & Snow Static on Aircraft: 1939-1940
Subcommittee on Jet Auxiliary Power: 1938-1941
General: 1938-1941
Consideration of Requests
Congressional Bills on Scientific Research: 1937
Metallurgy Population & Technology: 1936-1937
Recalculation of Mathematical Tables
Reorganization of Executive Depts of Federal Government: 1936
End of Program: 1939
Executive Committee
Meetings: 1937-1938
Meetings: Joint w Natl Resources Committee: 1936
Meetings: General: 1936
General: 1936-1939
Historical Sketch: 1936
Meetings: 1936-1939
Organization & Personnel: 1936-1939
Subcommittee on Biological Abstracts: 1936-1938
Subcommittee on Bureau of Standards Relations: 1936-1938
Subcommittee on Design & Construction of Airships
Supporting Data: 1936-1938
General: 1936-1939
Subcommittee on Physical Types in American Population
Appointments: Members: 1936
General: 1936-1937
Subcommittee on Policy
Federal Interest in Scientific Education & Research: 1937
Subcommittee on Relation of Patent System to Stimulation of New Industries: 1936-1939
Subcommittee on Ship Stabilization: 1936-1939
Subcommittee on Soil Conservation
Appointments: Members: 1936
Beginning of Program: 1936
Projects: Consideration of REA Report on Great Plains Drought Area: 1936-1937
Projects: Evaluation of Prospectus of Survey of Soil Conservation & Flood Control in Europe: 1938
Supporting Data: 1936
General: 1936-1938
Subcommittee on Toxic Sprays
Appointments: Members: 1936-1938
Beginning of Program: 1936
Projects: Arsenic & Lead Toxicity: 1936-1937
Projects: Fluorine Toxicity: 1938
General: 1936-1937
Subcommittee on War & Navy Depts: 1936-1939
Subcommittee on Weather Bureau: 1936-1939
General: 1936-1939
ORGANIZATION: NAS
Meetings
Annual: 1936
Annual: 1933
Autumn: 1933
Requests to NAS to Intercede re Reduction of Funds for Federal Scientific Research: 1933
Science Advisory Committee: 1933
PUBLIC Relations
Inaugurations Ceremonies Speeches
Sigma Xi: "Government's Reponsibilities in Science": Compton K: 1935
Magazine Articles on Science
Government Relations & Science Advisory Committee: 1936
Science Advisory Board: 1933-1935
Newspaper Articles on Science
Government Relations & Science Advisory Committee: 1936-1938
Science Advisory Board: 1933-1935
PUBLICATIONS
Geographical Review
Geography & National Land Planning: 1935
General: 1933-1935
DIVISIONS OF THE NRC
ENGINEERING & Industrial Research
Meetings: Symposium on Decentralization of Industry: 1933
General: 1933
FINANCE & ACCOUNTING
ACCOUNTING
Auditor's Report: Science Advisory Board: 1934-1935
Reimbursement to NAS from Government
Committee on Army Air Corps Problems: 1939-1941
Subcommittee on Design & Construction of Airships: 1936-1941
Subcommittee on Ship Stabilization: 1936-1941
General: 1933-1946
CONTRACTS
NOd-790: Subcommittee on Ship Stabilization: 1936-1939
NOd-655
Committee on Design & Construction of Airships: 1935
Subcommittee on Design & Construction of Airships: 1936-1941
W 535 ac-15690: Committee on Army Air Corps Problems: 1940-1941
W 535 ac-13087: Committee on Army Air Corps Problems: 1939
W 535 ac-11707: Committee on Army Air Corps Problems: 1938
FINANCE
Funds: Grants: Science Advisory Board: 1933-1935
GOVERNMENT
AGENCIES & Departments
Agriculture
Agriculture Adjustment Administration: 1934
Bureau of Chemistry: 1933
Food & Drug Administration: 1930-1934
Weather Bureau: 1933-1935
General: 1933-1938
Board of Surveys & Maps of Federal Government: 1934-1935
Commerce
Business Advisory & Planning Council: 1933-1934
General: 1933-1934
Emergency Conservation Work
Civilian Conservation Corps: Press Releases: 1933-1934
General: 1933
Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works
National Planning Board: 1933-1934
Press Releases: 1934-1935
Federal Emergency Relief Administration: 1933-1934
Interdepartmental Committee on Aerial Photography & Mapping: 1933-1934
Interior
Soil Erosion Service: 1933-1934
General: 1933-1935
Interstate Commerce Commission: Regulation of Railroads
Report to Congress: 1934
Report to US President: 1934
National Recovery Administration
Consumers' Advisory Board: 1933-1934
Industrial Advisory Board: Codes: 1933-1934
National Resources Board
National Land Planning Activities: 1934
Science Committee: 1935
General: 1934-1935
National Resources Committee
Committee on Population Problems: 1936
Committee on Study of Problems in Field of Technology: 1936-1937
Science Committee: NAS Representatives: 1935-1937
Science Committee: Subcommittee on Survey of Governmental Relations to Research: 1937-1939
Science Committee: General: 1935-1939
General: 1935-1939
Navy
Committee on Naval Research: Liaison w NRC: 1933-1935
General: 1933-1935
Planning Committee for Mineral Policy: 1934-1935
Tennessee Valley Authority
Press Releases: 1933-1934
General: 1933-1934
Treasury:
Bureau of Budget: 1933-1934
General: 1933-1935
War: 1933-1934
Army Air Corps: 1938-1941
General: 1933-1937
CONGRESS
Acts: Appropriations
Dept of Agriculture & Farm Credit Administration: 1934-1937
Acts
Research into Basic Laws & Principles Relating to Agriculture & Further Development of Agriculture Extension Work & Land-Grant Colleges: 1935-1936
General: 1935
Bills: 1936-1940
Establishment of National Planning Board: 1935
Food Drugs & Cosmetics: 1933-1935
Research into Basic Laws & Principles Relating to Agriculture & Further Development of Agriculture Extension Work & Land-Grant Colleges: 1935
General: 1934-1935
Committees
Agriculture: Hearings: 1935
Agriculture & Forestry: Hearing: 1935
Commerce: Hearings: 1935
Resolutions
Curtailment of Activities in Connection with Scientific Research: 1933
General: 1937
EXECUTIVE
Executive Depts: Reorganization: 1937
Executive Orders & Directives
EO 7100: Science Advisory Board: Extension of Board's Life: 1935
EO 6725: Science Advisory Board: Appointment of Additional Members: 1934
EO 6238: Science Advisory Board: Establishment: 1933
Samples of Executive Orders for Science Advisory Board: 1918-1933
National Resources Planning Board
Science Committee: NAS Representatives: 1939
General: 1939
General: 1933-1939
Committee on Government Relations, Government Relations & Science Advisory Committee, and NRC Science Advisory Board, 1925-1941: Index to Reports
ADMINISTRATION
EXECUTIVE BOARD
Science Advisory Board
Committee on Biological Abstracts
Report to Board: 1935
Committee on Boulder Dam Survey
Possibilities of Developing Mineral Industries Tributary to Boulder Dam: 1934
Committee on Bureau of Chemistry & Soils
Relationship of Bureau of Chemistry & Soils to other Bureaus in Dept of Agriculture: 1935
Soil Erosion: Final: 1935
Soil Erosion: Preliminary: 1934
Committee on Geological Survey & Bureau of Mines
Report to Secretary of Interior on Bureau of Mines: 1933
Report to Secretary of Interior on Consolidation of Geological Survey & Bureau of Mines: 1933
Report to Secretary of Interior on Geological Survey: 1933
Report to Secretary of Interior on Mineral Statistics & Economics: Preliminary: 1933
Committee on Land Use
Land Resources & Land Use in Relation to Public Policy: 1934
Soil Erosion: Preliminary Recommendations: 1934
Committee on Mapping Services of Federal Government
Report to Board: 1934
Committee on Medicine & Public Health
Report to Secretary of Treasury: 1935
Committee on Railway Research
Report to Federal Coordinator of Transportation: 1934
Subcommittee on Facilities for Research: 1934
Committee on Relation of Patent System to Stimulation of New Industries
Report to Secretary of Commerce: 1935
Committee on Weather Bureau
Report to Secretary of Agriculture: 1935
Land-Grant Colleges Survey
Report to Board: 1935
National Program for Putting Science to Work for National Welfare
Report to US President: 1935
Put Science to Work
National Program: Compton K: 1934
Recovery Program for Science Progress
Compton K: 1933
Report to US President
Second: Sep 1935
First: Sep 1934
ORGANIZATION: NAS
Committee on Government Relations
Role of Science in National Planning: 1934
Government Relations & Science Advisory Committee: Committee on Army Air Corps Problems
Subcommittee on De-Icing: 1940-1941
Subcommittee on Jet Auxiliary Power: 1938-1941
Government Relations & Science Advisory Committee
Subcommittee on Design & Construction of Airships: 1936-1937
Subcommittee on Physical Types in American Population: 1937
Subcommittee on Ship Stabilization: 1937-1940
Subcommittee on Toxic Sprays: 1937
Subcommittee on Weather Bureau: 1938
GOVERNMENT
AGENCIES & Departments
Agriculture: Bureau of Chemistry & Soils
Report to Chief of Bureau to Secretary of Agriculture: 1933
Agriculture: Forest Service
Soil Erosion & Reforestation in Italy: 1943
Secretary of Agriculture: Report to Congress on Elixir Sulfanilamide: 1937
Central Statistical Board
Annual Report: 1st: 1934
Commerce: Business Advisory & Planning Council
Committee on Bureau of Standards: 1934
Subcommittee on Mineral Services: 1933
Interior
Bureau of Indian Affairs: 1933
Bureau of Reclamation: 1934
National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics
Annual Report: 19th: 1933
National Resources Board
National Planning & Public Works in Relation to Natural Resources: 1934
Treasury
Public Health Service: 1937
War: Office Chief of Engineers
Mississippi River Commission: Report: 1932
CONGRESS
Committees: Commerce
Safety in Air: Report: 1936-1937
