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Bruce C. Heezen Papers Access and Restrictions: This collection is open for research. Digital Surrogates: Except where indicated, this document describes but does not reproduce the actual text, images and objects which make up this collection. Materials are available only in the Special Collections Department. Copyright: Please read The University of Iowa Libraries' statement on Property Rights, Copyright Law, and Permissions to Use Unpublished Materials. Use of Collections: The University of Iowa Libraries supports access to the materials, published and unpublished, in its collections. Nonetheless, access to some items may be restricted by their fragile condition or by contractual agreement with donors, and it may not be possible at all times to provide appropriate machinery for reading, viewing or accessing non-paper-based materials. Please read our Use of Manuscripts Statement. Acquisition and Processing Information: These materials were donated to the University Archives by Marilyn Jackson in September 2000. Finding aid created February 2008. Photographs: Box 1; Box 2 |
Bruce C. Heezen |
Scope and Contents
The Bruce C. Heezen papers include correspondence, clippings, maps and photographs that document the career of Mr. Heezen as an oceanographer at the Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory of Columbia University in Palisades, New York. One VHS tape documents the christening ceremony of the USNS Bruce C. Heezen. Correspondence from Marie Tharp, a colleague of Mr. Heezen, includes a list of every research cruise of Mr. Heezen between 1947 and 1977. Maps created by Mr. Heezen are located at the Smithsonian Institution Archives, as well as material documenting his faculty research at Columbia. Marie Tharp donated 40,000 maps to the Library of Congress in 1995.
Biographical Note
Bruce C. Heezen was born April 11, 1924 in Vinton, Iowa, to Charles C. and Esther (Schirding) Heezen. When he was six years old his family moved to Muscatine, Iowa. Mr. Heezen graduated from Muscatine High School in 1942.
He attended the State University of Iowa and received his B.A. degree in geology in 1948. While attending S.U.I., he was influenced to study oceanography by Professor Maurice Ewing, a lecturer from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts. Mr. Heezen took his M.S. and Ph.D. at Columbia University in 1952 and 1957, where he studied under Mr. Ewing. He was associate professor of geology and an oceanographer at the Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory of Columbia University from 1949 until his death on June 21, 1977. His discovery of the central rift valley in the Mid-Atlantic Ridge while leading a team of Columbia University researchers advanced the knowledge of plate tectonics.
Mr. Heezen and his colleagues, Marie Tharp and Maurice Ewing, created their first map of the ocean floor in 1957. Their physiographic maps appeared in National Geographic and featured the Indian Ocean (1967), Atlantic Ocean (1968), and the Pacific Ocean (1969). They also mapped the world ocean floor, which was published by the U.S. Navy in 1977. The U.S. Navy named an oceanographic survey ship after him in 1999.
Related Materials
Folder, "Heezen, Bruce C.," Alumni and Former Students Vertical Files collection (RG 01.15.01)
Jackson, Marilyn. “He Explored the Mountains of the Sea.“ Iowan 29, no. 3 (March 15,1981):14-17; 52-53
Box Contents List
Box 1
Muscatine High School Hall of Honor
plaque, 1998
program, 2000
Photographs
Color photocopy of a school photograph, ca. 1938
Black and white photographs
Dr. Heezen portrait, n.d.
Dr. Heezen and Captain Henry Kohler inspecting a dredge haul in the Pacific, 1977
Photograph of drawing of Dr. Heezen by Heinrich Berann, 1971
Photograph of drawing of Marie Tharp by Heinrich Berann, 1972
Marie Tharp with physiographic map, 1978
Marie Tharp and Dr. Heezen charting a map, n.d.
Dr. Maurice Ewing and Dr. Heezen working on a project, n.d.
Dr. Heezen, Roger Revell, and Dr. Maurice Ewing aboard a research vessel in New York, 1959
Dr. Heezen in his office at Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory, n.d.
Clippings
Marie Tharp
Marilyn Jackson article drafts
Bruce Heezen background material
Correspondence
Glenn Cray, 1980
Esther Christine (Schirding) Heezen Dauch, 1980-2000
Lamont-Doherty, 1986
Charles Hollister, Iowan article, 1980
Marie Tharp, 1980; 2000
Robert Ballard clippings, 1999-2000
USNS Bruce C. Heezen christening ceremonies, March 29, 1999
VHS tape
Clippings
Program and ceremony details
Box 2
Maps
Deep Sea topography with indications of mineral deposits, 44 x 76, 1978
World Ocean Floor, 24 x 38, 1977
Photographs
Photograph of artist's portrait of Dr. Heezen in color pastels, ca. 1961
Photographs of artist's portrait of Dr. Heezen in pen, n.d.
Dr. Heezen at Piermont dock, between 1962 and 1977
Bruce Heezen color portrait, ca. 1940
Photograph of drawing of Dr. Heezen by Heinrich Berann, 1971
Posters
"Name This Ship!" color, 1997
"The Exploration Continues: USNS Bruce C. Heezen" black and white line drawing, n.d.
