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This fonds contains the records of the University of Alberta chemistry professor Dr. Walter Harris. He was instrumental in the modernization of the University’s successful Analytical Chemistry program. Dr Harris was acclaimed for his work in chemistry education, scientific research, and committee service.

The materials date from 1915 to 2011. The records predominately date after Harris began his career at the University of Alberta in 1946. The collection is rich in teaching materials, including a number of lectures written verbatim, an abundance of lecture slides and audio visual recordings of Walter Harris lecturing, as well as a significant amount of Dr. Harris’ research papers and supporting information. The fonds also incorporates materials related to the history of the Chemistry Department at the University of Alberta. In addition, it provides insight into Harris’ book publications with related correspondence, revisions and notes. The fonds is abundant in records relating to Harris’ work as a committee member including meeting minutes, agendas, committee reports, and correspondence.

This fonds contains an array of document types including such textual materials as notes, correspondence, talks, programs, pamphlets, articles, cards, course materials, announcements, books, and personal history information. It also contains yearbooks, plaques, certificates and newspaper clippings, as well as a variety of media types including photographs, slides, negatives, lantern slides, a 16mm film, reel-to-reel audiotapes, a VHS videocassette, a u-matic video tape, and a CD-ROM disk. The fonds geographically pertains predominantly to Canada with some materials created in the United States, and a few materials generated in countries abroad. The materials related to Europe are from international conferences or committee travels taken by Harris.

Nashville School with the whole school pictured, young Harris in the front row.

Harris standing on a hill in Trail, British Columbia. Caption reads "Trail and CMS". The image was likely taken the summer after Harris' third year at University when he worked at Consolidated Minning and Smelting as a general labourer in the phosphate fertilizer plant. Slide used in personal presentation.

Harris's University of Alberta B.Sc. Diploma with official seal.

Master of Science graduating photograph of Harris.

Postal Telegraph congratulating Harris from his family, dated May 9. Telegraph mentioned June 14, 1942, his wedding day to Phyllis Pangburn.

Harris's "Certified Instructor Gas and Bomb Defense" card. The University of Minnesota required that chemistry graduate students become certified instructors in gas and bomb defense in case the US was attacked.

The Society of the Sigma Xi Diploma certifying Harris was elected as a member of the Minnesota chapter on May 31, 1944.

Harris's Degree of Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Minnesota, dated June 10, 1944.

Harris's Certificate of Fitness from Fort Snelling Minnesota, dated June 4, 1945.

Co-60 gamma ray unit used in cobalt therapy, the use of gamma rays to treat medical issues such as tumors. The Physical Science Centre had a special "cave" built out under the basement with a Co-60 gamma ray unit for the initiation of radio chemical reactions. Slide found in box labeled AECL for the Atomic Energy of Canada Limited. Slide likely used in lecture or public talk.

National Research Universal, Atomic Energy of Canada United in Chalk River, Ontario. Harris spent one summer in Chalk River with R Betts on the isotopic separation of sodium-22 and sodium -24. Slide found in box labeled AECL for the Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, likely used in lecture or public talk.

National Research Universal reactor Atomic Energy of Canada United in Chalk River, Ontario. Harris spent one summer in Chalk River with R Betts on the isotopic separation of sodium-22 and sodium -24. Slide found in box labeled AECL for the Atomic Energy of Canada Limited likely used in lecture or public talk.

Site for new Chemistry building, December 1958.

Physical Science Center building under construction, November 1958. The foundation was contracted out to Poole Construction Co Ltd.

Site for new Chemistry building, December 1958.

Chemistry building under construction, November 1958. The foundation was contracted out to Poole Construction Co Ltd.

New Chemistry Building under construction with steel beams in place.

New Chemistry Building under construction with bricks being laid.

Chemistry-Physics-Mathematics building under construction with steel beams in place, September 21, 1959.

Chemistry building under construction, April 1959.

Chemistry-Physics-Mathematics building under construction, February 1959. The steel frame was erected by C.W. Carry Ltd and Calgary Structural Steel Ltd.

New Chemistry Building under construction with bricks being laid, December 1959

Chemistry-Physics-Mathematics building under construction, April 1959. The steel frame was erected by C.W. Carry Ltd and Calgary Structural Steel Ltd.

Physical Science Center at the University of Alberta construction completed to house three departments: Physics, Mathematics and Chemistry, October 1960.

Harris standing at the base of a mountain. Image found inside card from Audrey and Willard F Allen. Willard Allen was a friend and fellow chemistry teacher at the University of Alberta.

Two cold rooms one for storing volatile and unstable chemicals and the other is equipped as a laboratory.

Philips Electronics Inc. x-ray diffraction equipment for the analysis of crystalline compounds.

Electronics Shop featuring a Type 536 Oscilloscope with type B plug-in being used.

Main supply room for the storage and retrieval of chemicals, glassware and other equipment needed for teaching and research. The supply room was located in the basement of the Physical Science Centre.

Harris leaning on his Pontiac car, with his friends taking pictures at a mountain viewpoint. Image found inside card from Audrey and Willard F Allen. Willard Allen was a friend and fellow chemistry teacher at the University of Alberta.

Photograph taken in the Inorganic and Analytical Research Laboratory. Image focuses on the Leeds & Northrup Electro Chemograph Type E with a built in Speedomax Recorder designed for polarography analysis. Machine commonly used in the study of kinetics and mechanism of inorganic reactions. Image also appears in "New Physical Sciences Centre" booklet advertising the newly built facility.

Two technicians working on glass lathes in the Glass Blowing Shop. This room was used for the building and design of new glass equipment for research. The shop was located in the basement of the physics-mathematics wing.

Physical Science Center at the University of Alberta built to house three departments of Physics, Mathematics and Chemistry. The building officially opened May 24, 1961 and was designed by the Department of Public Works.

Graduate Research Laboratory in the Physical Science Center.

Physical Chemical Research laboratory with two people at work on high vacuum lines.

Physical Sciences Auditorium with 400 sloping seats full of students. The auditorium was housed in a seperate wing to the North of the Mathematics-Physics building and was used for large lecture classes, special lectures and public meetings. A projection booth is also located at the back of the room.

Undergraduate laboratory with private working areas for up to twenty students. The side benches and cabinets display equiptment and materials in general use.

The Metrpolitan-Vickers MS-2 model being operated by a technician in the Mass Spectrometer Laboratory.

Physics machine shop with wood and metal-working equipment to create materials for research and undergraduate laboratories. The machine shop was located in the basement of the physics-mathematics wing.

Chemistry wing of the Physical Science Centre building.

Harris and friends standing in front of a lake in the Rockies. Image found inside card from Audrey and Willard F Allen. Willard Allen was a friend and fellow chemistry teacher at the University of Alberta.

Image of a graduate Inorganic Research Laboratory in the Physical Science Center.

Staff office laboratory in the Physical Science Center, with a Fisher zone refiner in the center of the image. Each staff room was accompanied by a private laboratory.

Liquid nitrogen generator located in the main supply room.

Two technicians at work in the Infrared and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Laboratory. Machines shown are the Perkin-Elmer 221-G high resolution infrared spectrophotometer to the right and a Cary Model 14 automatic recording spectrometer.

Three Machinists operating tools in the machine shop. The shop was complete with wood and metal-working equipment to create materials for research and undergraduate laboratories. Included in the photograph is a lathes, jig saw, sheet metal bender, grinder, two drill presses, and a welding area. The machine shop was located in the basement of the physics-mathematics wing.

Detroit Convention with: Sandell, Hume, Marion and Joe Bushey, as well as Stenfers, Fall 1962.

Hume at the Detroit Convention, Fall 1962.

Detroit Convention with: Kolthoff, Laitenen, M Bushey, O'Brein, Thomson, Luyive[?], Stenfers, Harris possibly on the far right with his hand on his chin, Fall 1962.

Image of Harris and Habgood. Harry Habgood co-authored Programmed Temperature Gas Chromatography with Harris, the first book published by anyone in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Alberta.

Aerial view of the University of Alberta campus and surrounding area.

Chemistry Department Staff at the University of Alberta: HE Gunning, HB Dunford, P Kebarle, D Darwish, C Bigelow, F Birss, HS Frank (Physical Chemistry visiting speaker), WE Harris, RN O'Brien, GR Freeman, RU Lemieux, RK Brown.

Chemistry building at the University of Alberta, August 1967.

The Fisher Scientific Lecture Award of the Chemical Institute of Canada is awarded for commendable achievement and scholarship in statistical science praising the impact of statistical methods of scientific investigation. Harris won this high esteemed for his outstanding leadership in analytical chemistry and contributions in Gas Chromatography. His award lecture "Gas Chromatography- Developments in Temperature Programming and Pyrolysis GC" was presented during the 52nd Canadian Chemical Conference and Exhibition in Montreal on May 28, 1969. This is the second year that the award had been given out.