Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry

(Encyclopedia)International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC), an international organization est. 1919 to advance the chemical sciences and contribute to the application of chemistry to the service of hum...

Greenbelt

(Encyclopedia)Greenbelt, city (2020 pop. 24,921), Prince Georges co., W central Md., a residential suburb of Washington, D.C.; chartered 1937. Greenbelt was planned a...

Great Salt Plains Dam

(Encyclopedia)Great Salt Plains Dam, on Salt Fork, a tributary of the Arkansas River, NW Okla., near Enid. The dam was authorized in 1936 as a federal project and completed in 1941. In a salt-encrusted plains area,...

Volstead, Andrew Joseph

(Encyclopedia)Volstead, Andrew Joseph vŏlˈstĕd [key], 1860–1947, American legislator, b. Goodhue co., Minn. A lawyer, he held several local offices in Minnesota before serving (1903–23) in the U.S. House of ...

Erving, Julius

(Encyclopedia)Erving, Julius ûrˈvĭng [key], 1950–, American basketball player, b. Roosevelt, N.J., known as “Dr. J.” An excellent shooter, rebounder, and ball-handler, he played for the American Basketball...

Miller, Marvin Julian

(Encyclopedia)Miller, Marvin Julian, 1917–2012, U.S. economist and labor leader, b. Bronx, N.Y., grad. New York Univ. (1938). He worked at the National War Labor Board during World War II, and later at the Intern...

Silliman, Benjamin

(Encyclopedia)Silliman, Benjamin, 1779–1864, American chemist, geologist, and physicist, b. Trumbull, Conn., grad. Yale, 1796. In 1802 he was appointed first professor of chemistry and natural history at Yale; he...

Blinken, Antony John

(Encyclopedia)Blinken, Antony John, 1962–, U.S. government official, b. Yonkers, N.Y., J.D. Columbia, 1988. A Democrat, he served (1994–2001) on the staff of the National Security Council under President Clinto...

Waltrip, Darrell

(Encyclopedia)Waltrip, Darrell, 1947–, American auto racing driver, b. Owensboro, Ky. Waltrip drove on the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing circuit from 1972 to 2000, winning 84 Cup Series races. Ni...

Auriemma, Geno

(Encyclopedia)Auriemma, Geno (Luigi Auriemma), 1954–, American basketball coach, b. Montella, Italy, grad. West Chester State College (now West Chester Univ. of Pennsylvania), 1977. After coaching as an assistant...