The Professional organizations, speeches, and talks series includes transcripts or outlines of speeches Dawson gave at various professional associations, such as the Manufacturing Chemists Association; the National Paint, Varnish, and Lacquer Association; and the engineering honor society Tau Beta Pi at Drexel Institute of Technology. The primary topics covered concentrate on the role of scientists in industry, management and personnel relations, and international trade. Notably, there is a significant amount of correspondence following a speech Dawson gave about food additives in 1960 at the Symposium on "Science and Food--Today and Tomorrow," hosted by the Food Protection Committee, National Academy of Sciences, National Research Council.

Speeches are listed in chronological order. Speech titles are listed when Dawson provides one, followed by the name of the organization/association where the speech was given. Some events have supplemental materials along with the speech transcript/outline, which is noted in the description; these may include drafts, correspondence related to event planning or felicitations afterward, event programs, and newspaper clippings about Dawson's speech. Speeches date from 1948 to 1975.