Papers of Algerian-born geologist André Rossfelder detail his varied professional and personal interests. Materials include research and subject files, biographical information, photographs, maps, patents, newspaper clippings, correspondence, and film and audio of the Cousteau Diving Saucer. Much of the collection is in French.
André M. Rossfelder Papers, 1947-2006 (SMC 112)
Extent: 4.5 Linear feet (3 cartons, 1 flat box, 4 map case folders and 4 films)
André Rossfelder was born in Algeria on May 26, 1925. He joined the French Resistance in 1941, and later served as an officer in the 1st French Paratroop Regiment. After the war, he completed his education, studying geology and chemical engineering at the University of Algiers, where he received both his undergraduate (1947) and doctoral degrees (1960).
Rossfelder was active in oil exploration in Algeria, but, due to political events, was forced to leave the country. He came to the United States in 1965 to work at Scripps Institution of Oceanography in marine geology and ocean technology. In 1969, he joined Tetra Tech Inc., covering a variety of projects including geomarine engineering and marine mineral resources development. Then, from 1972 to 1995, Rossfelder ran his own companies. First he founded Geomarex, with the focus of discovering shallow-water marine mineral resources in the Pacific; then Rossfelder Corp., developing underwater electrical vibrocoring for sediment sampling, underwater coring and sediment coring
Along with his scientific interests, Rossfelder was an honored writer and historian. His published works included Clipperton: L'ile Tragique (1976), Le Onzieme Commandement (2000), and In Search of Longitude: Magellan and the Antimeridian (2010).
André Rossfelder passed away on February 7, 2011.
Papers of Algerian-born geologist André Rossfelder detail his varied professional and personal interests. Materials include research and subject files, biographical information, photographs, maps, patents, newspaper clippings, correspondence, and film and audio of the Cousteau Diving Saucer. Much of the collection is in French.
The collection is arranged in eight series: 1) BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIAL, 2) CORRESPONDENCE, 3) BUSINESS FILES, 4) PATENTS AND DISCLOSURES, 5) WRITINGS, 6) SUBJECT FILES, 7) PHOTOGRAPHS and 8) AUDIOVISUAL MATERIALS.