Dr. Ursula Franklin was the university’s first female professor of metallurgy and materials science and the first woman to receive the title of University Professor, the highest academic rank at U of T. The archival papers are a testament to Dr. Franklin’s impact on so many worlds: as a physicist, metallurgist, trailblazing woman in engineering, pacifist, feminist, author, and educator. Dr. Franklin is widely recognized as a pioneer in the field of archaeometry, which uses modern material science techniques to investigate ancient artifacts, bringing greater meaning to archaeological finds. Her CBC Massey Lectures, The Real World of Technology, forever changed our understanding of the ways in which technology shapes our social and political lives.
The collection includes more than 150 boxes of textual records, photographs, posters and artifacts, and more than 150 tape recordings of her influential speeches and lectures. In addition to documenting the life and career of an extraordinary woman, they will also serve as a rich resource to those interested in the Canadian peace movement, feminism, Canadian science policy, and the groundbreaking interdisciplinary work done in the fields of materials science, archaeology and museum studies.
The Archives is proud to preserve these important records and make them accessible to researchers.