Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Dolby, Ray Milton

(Encyclopedia)Dolby, Ray Milton, 1933–2013, American inventor, audio engineer, and corporate executive, B.S. Stanford, 1957, Ph.D. Cambridge, 1961. While a teenager, he worked for Ampex Corp. (1949–57), helping...

Salonen, Esa-Pekka

(Encyclopedia)Salonen, Esa-Pekka, 1958–, Finnish conductor and composer. Originally a French horn player, he studied (1973–77) at Helsinki's Sibelius Academy. He made his conducting debut (1979) with the Finnis...

Serrano Súñer, Ramón

(Encyclopedia)Serrano Súñer, Ramón rämōnˈ sĕräˈnō so͞onyĕrˈ [key], 1901–2003, Spanish politician. A conservative member of the Cortes (1933–36), he joined his brother-in-law, Francisco Franco, earl...

Sloat, John Drake

(Encyclopedia)Sloat, John Drake, 1781–1867, American naval officer, b. near Goshen, N.Y. He entered the navy as a midshipman in 1800 and resigned after a year's service, but reentered for service in the War of 18...

Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, Teodoro

(Encyclopedia)Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, Teodoro, 1942–, Equatoguinean military and political leader, president of Equatorial Guinea (1979–). He graduated (1963) from Spain's Zaragoza Military Academy while Equator...

Coldwell, Major James William

(Encyclopedia)Coldwell, Major James William, 1888–1974, Canadian political leader, b. England. He went to Canada in 1910 and became a school administrator in Regina, Sask. He was a leader of the province's Farmer...

García Robles, Alfonso

(Encyclopedia)García Robles, Alfonso älfônˈsō gärsēˈä rōˈblās [key], 1911–91, Mexican statesman, b. Zamora, Mex. After studying law in Europe, he entered the Mexican foreign service in 1939. He was a ...

timberline

(Encyclopedia)timberline, elevation above which trees cannot grow. Its location is influenced by the various factors that determine temperature, including latitude, prevailing wind directions, and exposure to sunli...

Wigmore, John Henry

(Encyclopedia)Wigmore, John Henry, 1863–1943, American legal educator, b. San Francisco, grad. Harvard (B.A., 1883; M.A. and LL.B., 1887). He taught (1889–92) Anglo-American law at Keio-Gijuku Univ., Tokyo. Aft...

Waddell, James Iredell

(Encyclopedia)Waddell, James Iredell wŏdĕlˈ [key], 1824–86, Confederate naval officer in the American Civil War, b. Pittsboro, N.C. He was appointed a midshipman in the U.S. navy in 1841. On return from duty i...
 

Browse by Subject