Robert Nielsen Papers

Accession Number: 
LP001828
Extent: 
5.5 linear feet (11 MB)

Dr. Robert M. Nielsen was born in Nebraska in 1933. Dr. Nielsen became a professor of mathematics at the University of Delaware. In the late 1960s he was the co-founder of the AFT local for faculty at the university and was president from 1969-1973.
In 1973 Nielsen became director of the AFT’s colleges and universities department in which he took both aspects of academic professionalism and union professionalism into creating a strong and viable department within the AFT. Dr. Nielsen was promoted to assistant to the president for higher education in July 1979. He had a regular column in the American Teacher as well as in the AFT’s publication specifically for members in higher education called On Campus. During his tenure at the AFT Dr. Nielsen played a vital role in organizing new higher education locals within the AFT and brokered joint organizing campaigns with the American Association of University Professors. From 1989-1990, he was a visiting professor at the University of Texas – Austin as a consultant to the Carnegie Foundation Mathematics Quality Education for Minorities Project.

He retired from the AFT in 1991 to work on developing better mathematical education reform. Dr. Nielsen died of cancer in February 2002.

Date: 
1967-1993, bulk 1976-1983
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LP001828.pdfLP001828_guide.pdf79.77 KB