Major M. Goodman Papers 1942-2013

Summary
Contents
Names/subjects
Using these materials
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Creator
Goodman, Major Mereland
Size
87 linear feet (102 archival boxes; 2 flatboxes; 4 legal boxes; 2 half boxes; 16 cartons)
Call number
MC 00184

This collection documents the tenure of Dr. Major M. Goodman as a faculty member in the departments of Crop Science, Statistics, Genetics, and Botany at North Carolina State University. It contains a large amount of correspondence with scholars in the crop science and maize research fields, published journal articles and reviews, manuscripts and research reports, conference programs, data sets, research plans and notes, experiment books, coursework, and documents related to the various national committees and advisory boards that Goodman served on. Also included are a small amount of photographic materials and reel-to-reel tapes.

Major M. Goodman was born September 13, 1938 and began working with maize as a detasseler at Pioneer Hi-Bred International in his hometown of Johnston, Iowa. In 1960 he earned his Bachelor's Degree in Math with a Minor in Chemistry from Iowa State University. He continued his education at North Carolina State University, where he received his Master's Degree in Genetics in 1963 and his Ph.D. in Genetics and Statistics in 1965.

After two years as a postdoctoral fellow in Brazil, Dr. Goodman returned to N.C. State as a Visiting Assistant Professor in 1967. He was awarded full Professorship in 1976. Since 1988 Dr. Goodman has been the William Neal Reynolds and Distinguished University Professor of Crop Science, Statistics, Genetics, and Botany at N.C. State University. He is considered to be one of the leading experts on maize genetics and has made numerous important contributions to the field, especially on the subjects of plant breeding and genetic diversity. As of 2012, he continues to serve as the head of the Maize Breeding and Genetics Program in the Department of Crop Science at N.C. State.

Biographical/historical note

Major M. Goodman was born September 13, 1938 and began working with maize as a 14-year old detasseler at Pioneer Hi-Bred International in his hometown of Johnston, Iowa.

He earned a Bachelor's Degree in Math with a Minor in Chemistry in 1960 from Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. He continued his education at North Carolina State University, graduating in 1963 with a Master's Degree in Genetics with a Minor in Statistics. In 1965, he received his Ph.D. in Genetics and Statistics from N.C. State. His thesis was directed by S.G. Stephens and focused on the classification, correlation, and structure of populations. While earning his degrees at N.C. State, he served as a Research Assistant from 1960 to 1961 and a National Science Foundation Co-op Fellow from 1961 to 1965.

From 1965 to 1967 Dr. Goodman was a National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow at the Institute de Genetica, Escola Superior de Agricultura in Piracicaba, Sao Paulo, Brazil. In 1967, he returned to N.C. State as a Visiting Assistant Professor. He was appointed Assistant Professor in 1968 and Associate Professor in 1970 before being awarded full Professorship in 1976. Since 1988 Dr. Goodman has been the William Neal Reynolds and Distinguished University Professor of Crop Science, Statistics, Genetics, and Botany at N.C. State University.

Dr. Goodman has been active in crop science research for over forty years and is considered to be one of the leading experts on maize genetics. He has made numerous important contributions to the field, especially on the subjects of plant breeding and genetic diversity. His major research interests include the evolution of cultivated plants, plant breeding, isozyme genentics, and numerical taxonomy. As of 2012, he continues to serve as the head of the Maize Breeding and Genetics Program in the Department of Crop Science at N.C. State.

Scope/content

This collection documents the tenure of Major M. Goodman as a faculty member in the departments of Crop Science, Statistics, Genetics, and Botany at North Carolina State University. It contains a large amount of correspondence with scholars in the crop science and maize research fields, published journal articles and reviews, manuscripts and research reports, conference programs, data sets, research plans and notes, experiment books, coursework, and documents related to the various national committees and advisory boards that Goodman served on. Also included are a small amount of photographic materials and reel-to-reel tapes.

Arrangement

This collection is organized into six series and one additional unprocessed series:

  • Series 1. Correspondence
  • Series 2. Articles, Manuscripts, and Reports
  • Series 3. Conferences, Advisory Boards, and Committees
  • Series 4. Research Materials and Data Sets
  • Series 5. Teaching and Administrative Papers
  • Series 6. Coursework

Use of these materials

The nature of the NC State University Libraries' Special Collections means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. The NC State University Libraries claims only physical ownership of most Special Collections materials.

The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.

This collection may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations. Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which North Carolina State University assumes no responsibility.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Major M. Goodman Papers, MC 00184, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC

Related material

Source of acquisition

Gift of Major M. Goodman, 2009 (Accession no. 2009-0093). Addition to collection 2010, (Accession no. 2010.0062). Addition to collection 2011, (Accession no. 2011.0041). Addition to collection 2013 (Accession no. 2013.0164)

Processing information

Processed by Judy Allen Dodson, 2010 June; Finding aid created by Judy Allen Dodson, 2010 June; updated by Judy Allen Dodson, 2011 February Updated by Allyson Smally, March 2012; updated by Gwynn Thayer, 2013 September

Please note that some historical materials may contain harmful content and/or descriptions. Learn how we’re addressing it.
Please note that some historical materials may contain harmful content and/or descriptions. Learn how we’re addressing it.

Access to the collection

This collection is open for research; access requires at least 48 hours advance notice. Because of the nature of certain archival formats, including digital and audio-visual materials, access to digital files may require additional advanced notice.

For more information contact us via mail, phone, or our web form.

Mailing address:
Special Collections Research Center
Box 7111
Raleigh, NC, 27695-7111

Phone: (919) 515-2273

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Major M. Goodman Papers, MC 00184, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC

Use of these materials

The nature of the NC State University Libraries' Special Collections means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. The NC State University Libraries claims only physical ownership of most Special Collections materials.

The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.

This collection may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations. Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which North Carolina State University assumes no responsibility.