Dr. Edward U. Condon (1902-1974), professor of physics and astrophysics and fellow of the Joint Institute of Laboratory Astrophysics (JILA) at the University of Colorado, was well-known for his participation in the development of radar and nuclear weapon. The Franck–Condon principle and the Slater–Condon rules are co-named after him.
Condon also conducted a study of Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) for the U.S. Air Force in the mid-1960s with the purpose of investigating claims of unidentified flying objects. His collection includes the report, which was issued in 1968, as well as transcripts from Gemini space flights, microfilm of UFO publications and reports, plus books, pamphlets, journals and other material. Also included is material on the "Bevatron" (BEV Proton Accelerator) study also led by Condon.
The University of Colorado Boulder Libraries will celebrate the centennial anniversary of the Archives on June 6, 2018. This is story #35 in our series: 100 Stories for 100 Years from the Archives!