UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON ARCHIVES
ORAL HISTORY PROJECT

Interview #363
ULAM, STANISLAW M.

ULAM, Stanislaw M. (1909-1983)
Assistant Professor of Mathematics
At UW: 1940-1945

Interviewed: 1983	
Length: 20 minutes
Interviewer: Mailed questionnaire

Abstract:  Through a mailed-in questionnaire, Stanislaw Ulam briefly discussed his career in the mathematics department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  Covering the time period of 1940-1945, Ulam mentioned influential colleagues and students during his time at Madison and the work they accomplished.  He also spoke about living and social conditions at the University.  This interview was conducted for inclusion into the UW—Madison Oral History Program.

Keywords: UW Mathematics and Physics departments in late 1930s and early 1940s; Involvement of UW personnel in Manhattan Project; University community.

Tape 1/Side 1

00:00:00	[no question] On mathematics department, SU began by speaking of department chairmen.  He mentioned names of Chairmen such as Ingraham, Langer, MacDuffee and Sokolnikoff.  He felt that they were administrative leaders and well-regarded as such.  SU promoted to assistant professor, he thought, because past work considered as well as published papers.  Started publishing at age 18.  Came to U.S. at age 26 and attended Harvard.  Came to UW at about age 30.

00:01:18	[no question] SU felt it difficult to compare Mathematics Departments in which he had been a part because of factors such as size.  He did feel that promotion and tenure practices were similar though.

00:02:31	[no question] SU thinks one of most important mathematicians from Madison was Evert.  He did important work with the hydrogen bomb and the Monticarlo Method which Ulam had started at end of WWII.

00:03:10	[no question] SU considered milestones hard to define and did not care to offer much comment.

00:03:27	[no question] On physics department, SU felt that those who went to Los Alamos at the beginning such as Wigner and Breit were very important in organizing the project and collectively planning for the war effort.

00:04:12	[no question] SU mentioned important graduates of Wisconsin from the physics department such as David Fresh, Joe Macuban and Tarschick.

00:04:47	[no question] Again, SU thought milestones hard to define.  Thought important work had been done by both the Mathematics Department and Physics Department.

00:05:07	[no question] SU discussed living at the University Club.  Met many interesting people there.  SU not a member of any dining club.  He talked about university community life and how he meet socially with other professors and students at parties and the student union. 

00:06:24	[no question] Regarding women and minorities at UW, SU suggested that women were treated equally and faced no special problems; there were few blacks in Madison at the time and he did not meet any.  He knew several Jewish persons on campus and named Perlman from the Economics Department and Louis Kaplan from the library.

00:07:42	[no question] SU didn't think European background played a significant role in his acceptance.  But he thought perhaps promotions for non-native born persons were slower in coming.  He also pointed out that there were a very limited number of positions because the departments were much smaller then.

00:08:22	[no question] Colleagues included March, a mathematician interested in problems of forestry; Warren Weaver, whom he knew later; Ingraham and Langer who were chairmen and whom he knew very well; Evans who studied the theory of probability and whom Ulam thought an excellent teacher; Sokolnikoff, a Russian who was interested in applied mathematics; Kleene, a logician who was a very good friend of his; Voltramp whose interest was education; Churchill Eisenhart whom he knew very well; Evert, whom he talked into going to Los Alamos and with whom he worked closely.  

00:10:15	[no question] Names graduate assistants whom he knew and worked with, including Peter Calvin, Ebelen, Buck, Hammer, and Charles Curtis.

00:10:54	[no question] Notes that he was on a colloquium committee with Dean Montgomery and Paul Erbus.

00:12:09	[no question] Physicists he knew included: Adler, Barshal, Gregory Breit, Bruehl who was a close friend, Fineman, Herb, Ingersoll, Mack, Rollefson, Kenneth Watson, Wigner and Violence.

00:13:38	[no question] He mentioned Joan Hinten, a student of his who came to Los Alamos in 1943. 

00:15:40	[no question] He remarked on his stay at Madison, recalling both his reception and stay with warmth and gratitude.  He enjoyed the social life and especially remembered a quartet he liked to listen to.

00:16:36	[no question] He stated that he believed that the University of Wisconsin played a very important and essential role at Los Alamos.  Enormous contributions came from Wisconsin physicists such as Evert.

00:17:39	[no question] Mentions Edward Cashwell, a graduate student who contributed with Evert in mathematics and physical problems.

00:18:46	[no question] More specific information on contributions on the Manhattan Project can be obtained from Herb and Barshal who are still at Madison.

00:19:14	[no question] He named Professor Bing in Mathematics who came after him and made an important contribution in geometrical topology.

00:19:47	End of interview.

END