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Vol. 46, No. 4 October 2017

Newsof the lHistoryetter of Science Society Table of Contents

Welcome to 1 History of Science Society Annual Meeting THAT Camp Returns to HSS 2 Toronto, Canada, 9-12 November 2017 The Smithsonian Conservation Commons’ Earth Summit 2017 7

From ASU to HKU: My Academic Job-Search 11

Notre Dame Astronomy Workshop 15

The “March for Science” 16

NASA in the “Long” Civil Rights Movement Symposium 18

Member News 19

In Memoriam 24

News from the Profession 29 Welcome To Toronto!

Downtown Toronto during the day. Roy Thomson Hall is in the foreground. Photo by Benson Kua.

Toronto is a vibrant, dynamic, walkable city. Those The conference hotel is the Sheraton Centre Toronto willing to explore will soon see why Toronto was named Hotel (123 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M5H 2M9, the world’s most diverse city by a 2016 BBC study, and Canada), which is across from Nathan Phillips one of the world’s most livable cities by The Economist in Square, between Bay Street and University Avenue. 2015. There are culinary delights, public spaces, cultural This centrally located property is connected to the spaces, and much, much more. What follows is a short underground and its dozens of places to eat and shop introduction to the environs of our hotel and the city and features the largest indoor/outdoor heated pool beyond. in (don’t forget your bathing

Continued on Page 3 History of Science Society Newsletter THAT Camp returns to HSS History of Science Society Executive Office The HSS is sponsoring its 4th annual History of Science Society THATCamp on Sunday, November 12 from 440 Geddes Hall University of Notre Dame 9:00 am to 2:00 pm at the conference hotel, Notre Dame, IN 46556 Sheraton Centre Toronto. The camp is free Phone: 574-631-1194; Fax: 574-631-1533 E-mail: [email protected] and open to anyone who wants to spend time Web site: http://www.hssonline.org/ exploring digital history of science. The website Subscription Inquiries hss2017.thatcamp.org has full details and University of Chicago Press Phone: 877-705-1878; Fax 877-705-1879 registration information. Follow us on twitter E-mail: [email protected] at #THATCampHSS. Or write: University of Chicago Press, Subscription Fulfillment Manager, PO Box People of all experience levels are welcome— 37005, Chicago, IL 60637-7363 Moving? newbies as well as experienced coders. The goal Please notify both the HSS Executive Office and Charles Pence John Stewart is to interact, try out new applications, ask the University of Chicago Press. questions, give advice, and learn. Some food and refreshments will be provided, Editorial Policies, Advertising and Submissions The History of Science Society Newsletter is In addition to the lightning talks and including a light lunch. published in January, April, July, and October, and sent to all individual members of the Society. “unconference” sessions, we have scheduled This year’s THATCamp is being planned The Newsletter is edited and published in the two keynote lectures for the lunchtime slot: by Kate Sheppard (Missouri University of Executive Office. The format and editorial policies are determined by the Executive Director in Charles Pence (Louisiana State University) and Science and Technology), Danielle Picard consultation with the Society Editor. All advertising John Stewart (University of Oklahoma). Pence (Vanderbilt), and Stephen Weldon (University copy must be submitted in electronic form. Advertisements are accepted on a space-available will talk about “Text Mining in the History of Oklahoma). basis only, and the Society reserves the right not of Science.” Stewart will discuss material from to print a submission. The rates are as follows: Full page (10 x 7”), $625; Horizontal or Vertical Half his experience as Assistant Director of Digital page (5 x 7”), $375; Quarter page (5 x 3.5”), $225. Learning at OU. The deadline for insertion orders is six weeks prior to the month of publication and should be sent to [email protected]. Please send photographs in a jpeg format, with a maximum size of 1024 pixels and file size of 1 MB to maintain quality during sizing and printing. The deadline for news, announcements, and job/fellowship/prize listings is firm: four weeks prior to the month of publication. Long items (feature stories) should be submitted eight weeks prior to the month of publication. Please send all material to the attention of the Executive Office: [email protected]. © 2017 by the History of Science Society 2 History of Science Society Newsletter • October 2017 History of Science Society Newsletter Welcome To Toronto, cont. suit). There are lots of things to do and see Middle Eastern, Szechuan, Thai, burgers, etc. If • Trattoria Mercatto (north end of Eaton in the vicinity of the Sheraton, with excellent you’re willing to go a bit further, the Village by Centre) restaurants to be found in every direction. the Grange at Dundas and McCaul has some • Momofuku Daishō (University south of good food court options, but they are likely Adelaide) upstairs; can reserve set feasts for 1. Eating Near the Hotel: closed on Sundays. The Senator (above) is a nice large groups Coffee/Breakfast: spot for lunch. • Momofuku Noodle Bar (University south of Adelaide) excellent ramen! • Starbucks (Queen and Bay) If you walk west on Queen West for 10-15 • John and Sons Oyster House (Temperance, • Tim Hortons (65 Queen St, east of hotel; minutes, past University, you’ll find a number just west of Bay) Richmond, just west of University) of sushi places and other spots along Queen, • Drake One Fifty (York, south of Richmond) • Sak’s Food Hall (basement of Hudson’s Bay east of Spadina. Recommended: The Queen • VOLOS (York and Richmond) higher end building, Queen and Yonge) Mother, Me Va Me, The Rivoli, La Carnitas (on Greek food • The Senator Restaurant(249 Victoria, south John), Hosu Bistro, Café Crêpe, Little India, • Terroni (Adelaide west of Victoria) lovely of Dundas) 1940s style diner with vintage Pho Vistro, Tohenboku Ramen, Korean Grill Neapolitan pizza decor House, Banh Mi Boys. • Reds Wine Tavern (Adelaide west of Bay) • Fran’s Diner (200 Victoria Street) • The Queen and Beaver Public House (Elm, • Le Petit Déjeuner (King East, east of Jarvis) Dinner: east of Bay, north of Dundas) • Panera Bread (Yonge, just north of Dundas) An easy walk from the hotel: • The Burger’s Priest (Adelaide west of Lunch: University) reportedly the best burgers in The Eaton Centre Food Court(north end Higher End ($$$$) town of mall, just south of Dundas) is likely your • Canoe (top of TD building, 66 Wellington Cheaper but Excellent ($$) best option for variety, proximity, and price. Street) • Sansotei Bannock (Queen and Bay) has some grab and • Ruth’s Chris Steak House (Richmond and (Dundas between University and go options as well as table service. Sak’s Food University) Bay) • Kenzo Hall (see above) is a good option. If you walk • Nota Bene (Queen, west of University) (Dundas between University and Bay) • Spring Rolls north on University to Dundas Street, and then (Dundas and Yonge) • Smoke’s Poutinerie go east along the south side of Dundas towards Mid-Range ($$$) (Adelaide, west of University) Bay, there are a variety of excellent ramen places • Bannock (Queen and Bay) Canadian classics (Toronto is experiencing a ramen renaissance): • The Keg (165 York St) Cheaper still but Good ($) best options are Sansotei (worth the wait) and • Barberians (Elm St) classic steakhouse with a • Salad King (340 Yonge St. upstairs) Kenzo. For Korean, there is Kimchi Korea huge wine list house. Lots of other options along this strip: Continued on Page 4 3 History of Science Society Newsletter • October 2017 History of Science Society Newsletter Welcome To Toronto, cont. 2. Dining Further Afield: Vegetarian • Frank Restaurant (in the Art Gallery of If you’re willing to walk a bit, hail a cab, or Uber • Fresh (147 Spadina Ave) $$-$$$ , Dundas and McCaul); named after it (or use public transit!), here are some areas • Saigon Lotus (6 St Andrew, just west of Frank Gehry $$$ with excellent dining options and places for Spadina) $$ • Woodlot (Palmerston, south of College) $$$ cocktails and snacks: Baldwin Street (between Beverley and Dundas West (west of Bathurst) McCaul) Queen West, King West, and environs • The Black Hoof (Dundas and Bellwoods) • Café la Gaffe (24 Baldwin St) charming “nose-to-tail” dining $$$ Higher End ($$$$) French bistro $$$ • La Campagnolo (Dundas and Euclid) Italian • Margaritas • Lee Restaurant (King and Bathurst) by (14 Baldwin St) $$ $$$ • Bodega celebrity chef Susur Lee (30 Baldwin St) French $$$ • Enoteca Sociale (Dundas and Dovercourt) • Le Select Bistro (Wellington, south of King, Chinatown/ and Italian, boasts a cheese cave! $$$ west of Spadina) a personal favorite environs • The Lockhart (Dundas at Dufferin) and Harry Potter-themed cocktails and tasty tapas Mid-Range ($$$) N.B. Many restaurants in Chinatown and smaller • The Lakeview (Dundas at Ossington) places in Kensington Market do not take credit • The Queen Mother Cafe vintage diner $$ (208 Queen St W) cards. Kensington market has dozens of excellent, Asian fusion small, reasonably priced takeaway places and food Ossington Avenue between Dundas and • The Rivoli (334 Queen St W) great for stands along Kensington Street and Augusta Street. Queen drinks and some interesting veggie options Some are only open during the day. Some high This area has become hip in the last five years, • The Rex Hotel (194 Queen St W) beer and points are Seven Lives Tacos (fish tacos); Junior’s some excellent restaurants along this strip. A excellent live jazz! Empanadas; Rasta Pasta; Otto’s Berlin Döner. short cab ride, or take the 501 streetcar west • La Palette (492 Queen St W) French bistro along Queen to Ossington and walk North. • Epicure Cafe (502 Queen St W) • Rol San (323 Spadina Ave) $$ Worth the trip. Recommended: • Asian Legend (418 Dundas St W) $$ Downtown • Mother’s Dumplings (421 Spadina Ave) $$ • BQM (210 Ossington Ave) burgers $$ • Sabai Sabai (81 Bloor St E) Thai and Laotian • Dumpling House (328 Spadina Ave) $$ • Union (72 Ossington Ave) excellent locally- $$ • Supermarket (Augusta south of College) sourced meals $$$ • El Catrin (18 Tank House Lane) Mexican, $$-$$$ • Pizzeria Libretto (155 University Ave) Distillery District $$$ • King’s Café (Augusta) East Asian vegetarian delicious Neapolitan pizza $$-$$$ • Lola’s Kitchen (634 Church St) $$-$$$ $$ • Salt (225 Ossington Ave) tapas and wine $$$ • Bar Raval (College and Bathurst) top-notch cocktails $$ Continued on Page 5 4 History of Science Society Newsletter • October 2017 History of Science Society Newsletter Welcome To Toronto, cont. • Mamakas Taverna (80 Ossington Ave) For more on dining in the city, check out the bar • Lipstick and Dynamite (Queen and gourmet Greek food $$$ and restaurant guides of Toronto Life magazine Ossington) $ • Rashers (182 Ossington Ave) bacon and NOW magazine. • The Fountain (Dundas near Dovercourt) $$ sandwiches! $ • The Gladstone Hotel (Queen West at Entertainment District (King, between Gladstone) historic, wonderfully restored; 3. LGBTQ+ Toronto University and Spadina) karaoke and a great restaurant $$ Toronto is a very LGBTQ-positive city. The This is the theatre district and most places err on Queen West West boasts several good spots: historic gay and lesbian district, otherwise the touristy side, but some great spots such as: http://www.queerwest.org/guide2.php known as “The Village,” is on Church Street, • Elephant and Castle (212 King St W) pub north of Carlton and roughly south of Isabella. For weekly events: https://www.dailyxtra.com/ $$ Notable spots here are: topic/arts-entertainment • Penelope (225 King St W) lovely Greek food $$$ • Smith (553 Church St) French and cocktails A great LGBTQ+ bar and club list can be found • Canteen (280 Spadina Ave) at the TIFF Bell $$-$$$ here: http://www.seetorontonow.com/toronto- Lightbox $$$ • Spirits (642 Church St) pub with good beer diversity/bars-and-clubs/ - sm.00009gf3dw13u and decent food $$ mdoystncxxp0kqry Queen West West (, west of Bathurst) • Café California (538 Church St) great patio for people watching $$ 4. Pubs, Bars, and Watering Holes • Drake Hotel (Queen and Beaconsfield) $$$ • The Hair of the Dog(425 Church St) north • The Duke of Richmond • Gladstone Hotel (Queen and Gladstone) of Carlton $$ (Eaton Centre) • The Horseshoe Tavern $$$ • Glad Day Bookshop (499 Church St) free (Queen and • The Beaver Cafe(Queen and Gladstone) wifi Spadina) $$$ • The Queen and Beaver Public House (Elm • Terroni (Queen and Bathurst) $$$ But there are now queer-friendly spots all over between Bay and Yonge) • The Paddock (Bathurst, south of Queen) $$ the city: • The Elephant and Castle (King west of • Poutini’s House of Poutine (Queen and University) • Wish Dovercourt) $ (3 Charles Street W) $$ • Imperial Pub (Dundas east of Yonge) • 7 West • Wvrst (King and Bathurst) $$ (7 Charles Street W) $$ • The Oxley (121 Yorkville) • The Beaver Cafe • Grand Electric (Queen, west of Dufferin) (Queen West at Gladstone) • The Three Brewers (Yonge, south of tacos and a mile-long bourbon list $$ great food and cocktails $$$ Dundas) • For delicious eclairs check out Nugateau, on • WALYA (996 Queen East at Carlaw) Queen west of Bathurst karaoke! $$ Continued on Page 6 5 History of Science Society Newsletter • October 2017 History of Science Society Newsletter Welcome To Toronto, cont. • The Wheat Sheaf (King and Bathurst) pub Further afield: Easiest travel from airport to hotel: take the food; Toronto’s oldest bar • (770 Don Mills Rd) Union-Pearson Express train from Pearson to • Sweaty Betty’s (Ossington north of Queen) • Aga Khan Museum (77 Wynford Dr) for $9 (with a Presto card) then • The Wallflower (Dundas east of Lansdowne) • Distillery District take the subway (University-Spadina line) north a local fave • St Lawrence Market (93 Front St E) to Osgoode Station. Hotel is a short walk west • The Communist’s Daughter(Dundas and • Harbourfront (235 Queens Quay W) along Queen. Cabs will be about $50 with tip. Ossington) • Fort York (250 Fort York Blvd) And Don’t Forget: 11 November is • Cameron House (Queen west of Spadina) • Remembrance Day, and downtown Toronto will • Prenup Pub (College and Henry) • (873 Bloor St W) feature multiple activities to commemorate the occasion. Shops and restaurants will be crowded. 5. Gems: 6. Some Useful Information For those of you in need of distractions or Tipping: Gratuity is usually included for parties breaks from sessions, here are some of Toronto’s of six or more but it’s best to ask. Standard rate is highlights: 15%-20%. Within easy walking distance of the hotel: Safety: Toronto is a safe city, but please use • BCE Place (181 Bay St) common sense. • and Grange Park (317 Weather: Dundas St) November can be chilly in Toronto, • Ontario College of Art and Design University similar to Chicago in climate. Be prepared for (OCADU) (100 McCaul St) lots of things—we suggest bringing layers. A • Chinatown/Kensington Market winter coat would be advisable. • Yonge Street (Toronto’s answer to Times Transit: The closest subway stop to the Square) Sheraton is Osgoode Station (Queen and A longer walk: University). Local cabs are fairly easy to find. • (100 Queens Park) Uber has a presence in Toronto if that’s what • Yorkville and Toronto Reference Library you prefer. For public transit (the TTC), it’s • University of Toronto downtown campus, easiest to purchase a Presto card and use this to including Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library pay. Fare is $3.25 for adults, $2.10 for seniors; (120 St George St) or $3 and $2.05 with a Presto card. Children • Steam Whistle Brewer/Toronto Railway under 12 travel free. Museum (255 Bremner Blvd) 6 History of Science Society Newsletter • October 2017 History of Science Society Newsletter The Smithsonian Conservation Commons’ Earth Optimism Summit 2017 by Kate Christen (Smithsonian Institution)

During Earth Day weekend, 21-23 April 2017, the Smithsonian Institution convened the first “Earth Optimism Summit” in Washington, D.C. This three-day event focused on highlighting, explicating, and celebrating approaches, methods, and philosophies that are working for conservation of nature, natural resources, and nature-respecting human systems around the globe. Equally important, the Summit presenters’ many narratives also focused on exploring how to replicate or scale up these successes. The Summit featured TED-style talks by some 200 speakers, representing a wide mix of professions and vocations, including many academics from the natural sciences, humanities, and social sciences. Alongside these were civic and business leaders, philanthropists, Dr. Leah Barclay, Australian sound artist, composer, and researcher, President of the Australian Forum for conservation field practitioners, and former and Acoustic Ecology, presenting in the Science, Conservation, Inspiration session of the 2017 Earth Optimism present representatives of government entities Summit. Photo Credit: Ronda Ann Gregorio and non-governmental organizations. Naturally, As a world-known crosspoint for all sectors of was indeed both optimism and a new “how-to” many of the speakers fit more—sometimes several disciplinary knowledge, research, and display, awareness among Summit-goers. As Smithsonian more—than one of these professional categories. the Smithsonian’s Earth Optimism “leveraging” marine scientist and Summit co-chair Nancy drew together a range of thinkers and doers from Knowlton puts it, “The best way to encourage “One of the greatest strengths of the Smithsonian around the globe to illustrate ecologically and conservation is to share our success stories, not to is the unique position we occupy at the environmentally sound approaches to some of the write ever-more-refined obituaries for the planet.” intersection of the arts, humanities, and sciences,” most pressing issues facing the world today. The said Smithsonian Secretary David J. Skorton just cumulative effect of all these concise, engaging With no single venue at the Smithsonian ample ahead of the Summit. “Earth Optimism is an narratives of journey, transition, and success enough to house its plenaries and multiple example of how we can leverage this position.” Continued on Page 8 7 History of Science Society Newsletter • October 2017 History of Science Society Newsletter Earth Optimism Summit 2017, cont. simultaneous “deep dive” sessions, the core providing a host of onsite activities in the International, National Geographic, and many Summit activities took place at the Ronald Reagan Center’s large entrance forum, a publicly others. Reagan International Trade Center. Steps away accessible area that welcomed more than 1000 from the Federal Triangle Metro Station, the site non-ticketed visitors over the weekend. Saturday The Summit also extended across the is also a short distance from the Smithsonian’s saw many damp drop-ins from the March for Smithsonian itself. In addition to the action at many history, science, and art museums and Science and Saturday’s transit between Summit the Reagan Center, two dozen public events research centers on Washington, D.C.’s National and March went both ways: numerous summit were held in 14 Smithsonian museums and Mall. Nearly 1,500 onsite ticketed Summit speakers and ticketed attendees, including Dennis galleries in Washington, New York, and Panama. participants attended these Reagan Center Hayes, national coordinator of the first Earth These events included film screenings, a teen- talks. Thousands of additional viewers tuned in Day in 1970, were also marchers, pre-March rally only program at the National Museum of via live web stream. With all of the Summit’s speakers, or even March organizers. Like many, Natural History, and an exhibit on the history speaker presentation events available online at my teenage son split his time that day between of Earth Day at the National Museum of the Summit’s web portal, these “virtual attendee” Summit and March, somehow even finding American History. Arts and culture were well numbers continue to grow. himself an opportunity to high-five Bill Nye as represented by events at the National Portrait the March got underway. Gallery, National Museum of the American More than 400 students participated in the Indian, and at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian ticketed Summit events, including undergraduate Marchers who stopped into the Summit found Design Museum in New York. Optimism also and graduate students from 59 institutions of plenty to experience onsite, including an spread throughout the world that weekend: higher learning. Thirty-two high school students exhibit, curated by Smithsonian Institutional from Colombia to New Zealand, a variety of from 13 schools also attended with their mentors. Historians Pamela Henson and Lisa Fthenakis, museums, nonprofits, and academic institutions High school and university students engaged in of captioned historic images of Smithsonian hosted 26 sister events celebrating conservation several activities designed specifically for and by environmental monitoring and conservation successes and inspiring positive change. them: Youth Conservation Salons in a lightning- programs, ranging from weather observing talk format, capacity-building workshops such networks in the 1850s, to bison conservation Global in both its intellectual reach and its as how to make compelling videos or launch at the National Zoo, to a present-day project associated events, the Summit was also rather Kickstarter campaigns, and an Earth Optimism digitizing 19th-century field notebooks. Drop- audacious in its planning: Earth Optimism was video competition. ins could also partake in twenty interactive committed to, and scheduled, scarcely a year exhibits showcasing innovative conservation before Earth Day 2017, one output of a series of Public access to Summit activities was an tools, products, and programs associated with key meetings of the newly minted Smithsonian- intentional component from the outset of groups such as Cornell University’s Atkinson wide “Conservation Commons” initiative. planning. In addition to live-streaming and Center for a Sustainable Future, Conservation The Commons itself is a pan-Institutional archiving the talks, this also translated to Continued on Page 9 8 History of Science Society Newsletter • October 2017 History of Science Society Newsletter Earth Optimism Summit 2017, cont. collaborative endeavor dedicated to bringing four partner universities. As of July, these Earth panel was especially memorable to me. That’s not together Smithsonian units, Smithsonian Optimism talks and panels (produced by Nalu only because I’m a longtime seaweed eater, but researchers, and their worldwide collaborators Creative Productions) were all up on the web. also because Sarah’s narrative offered such cogent to tackle complex conservation problems in reflections about capacity development and dimensions up to and including on the global Reviewing these, already my colleagues and I knowledge adaptation and transfer. When Sarah scale. By late 2015, the Commons had advanced have identified about 25 local, regional, and couldn’t find the training she sought, to learn to four foundational focal areas. By mid-2016, international narratives we may draw upon for grow and harvest seaweed, she took the academic Earth Optimism had become the chosen vehicle either background information or curriculum training that she could find—in fish aquaculture for forward movement on the Changing Human content. Interactions among science, sustainability, and marine botany—worked it through again at Attitudes focal area. By design, the Summit , and human systems are apparent in NOAA’s Maine Sea Grant program, as a farmer, also served as the inaugural event for publicly all the stories these talks tell. From our vantage, researcher, educator, and research specialist from “launching” the Commons. Also by intention, the “local” category includes a presentation at the 2012-2016, and transformed it into the founding New Foods the three other focal areas, Biodiversity Friendly session by Sperryville, Virginia farmer and management of Sorrento Seaweed, a cutting- Food, Working Land and Seascapes, and Movement Rachel Bynum, focused on rebuilding soil health edge (at least for the United States) seaweed of Life, were featured significantly among the at Waterpenny Farm, a twenty-acre vegetable farming enterprise in Maine. Her work, as the topic matter of the Summit’s three days of farm she and her husband, Eric Plaksin, operate Earth Optimism website declares, has “inspired a plenaries, deep-dive sessions, and workshops. on leased land. It’s a 40-year leasehold that they domestic seaweed revival.” carefully worked out with an enthusiastic landlord Historians of science who care to view the large over a 2-year period in the mid-1990s. That International: among the speakers at Friday’s portfolio of Summit video offerings will find innovative, and now locally replicated, secure land USAID-sponsored deep dive, The Wild Table: some excellent background and content material tenure arrangement allowed Rachel and Eric to Fish, Forests, and Food Security, was Terry for a range of university and secondary-school start farming, and start a family, twenty years ago Sunderland, Principal Scientist at CIFOR, the courses, and potentially for their own research, in a county whose land values (though evidently Centre for International Forestry Research. as well. An example: a consortium of colleagues not its actual soil value) rendered it otherwise Based at CIFOR since 2006, he has led the at four Virginia universities are developing an unapproachable for interested young farmers like development of a program of work on forests undergraduate/graduate “Virginia Food Systems them. Today they are reaping not only 28 varieties and food security, today fully integrated Leadership Institute” course. We’re offering of heirloom and heirloom-hybrid tomatoes, but into CIFOR’s strategy under the research this two-week course in June 2018, at the also beautiful soil unimagined by most in the theme, “Sustainable Landscapes and Food Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation county twenty years ago. Systems,” and chairs an expert panel in the UN in Front Royal, Virginia, followed up by two- system’s Committee on World Food Security. week, onsite-practicum projects at each of the Regional: Young kelp farmer Sarah Redmond’s presentation in the Green Farming, Blue Fishing Continued on Page 10 9 History of Science Society Newsletter • October 2017 History of Science Society Newsletter Earth Optimism Summit 2017, cont.

Sunderland’s talk focused on the critical role Similarly, a host of other “change makers and Further Resources: that wild fish and forests play in contributing innovators” shared, in their presentations and in • The Earth Optimism website homepage to food security and resilience. Sunderland and follow-on discussions, story after story in their has a direct link to the full collection of fellow panelists, Nygiel Armada, Chief of Party chosen fields and topics of study, mapping Earth- Summit videos; or you can access them at the of the Ecosystems Improved for Sustainable Optimistic paths and way-stations. These are livestream address: https://earthoptimism. Fisheries (ECOFISH) Project, Kelsey Evezich, variously focused on—to name only a few more si.edu/live-stream/. Other useful links Conservation Technology Project Lead at of what you’ll find in the recordings—saving and within the Earth Optimism website include Duke University, and journalist Simran Sethi, reintroducing wildlife and wild plant species; the 2017 Earth Optimism Summit addressed what they each knew, and found creating and enacting the conditions requisite Program; a linked listing of all Earth encouraging, about innovative approaches and for biodiverse and sustainable cities, from initial Optimism Summit 2017 Speakers; and a successes in integrating biodiversity conservation design to massive human-waste recuperation; list with web links of ~20 simultaneous Sister and food security…and “about how we can save tracking animal migrations and other movements Events EO 2017. A new site following on foods by savoring them.” of life around our planet; implementing the 2017 London sister event is: https:// state-of-art DNA-based tools for combatting conservationoptimism.com/ poaching and curtailing disruptive ; restoring big-city harbor oyster reefs; or • The Earth Optimism exhibit curated by pioneering coral cryopreservation. Smithsonian Institutional Historians Pam Henson and Lisa Fthenakis, Environmental Collectively, these stories allow us to reflect Research to Action at the Smithsonian, 1846 on the power of , and the value is largely captured in this well-illustrated of keeping that quality relative in its power. Smithsonian Insider online article by Becky Engaging “radical innovation” in addressing Haberacker, written in the format of an environmental challenges, though appealing to interview with longtime HSS member many would-be world-savers, may not always be Henson: The Smithsonian’s History is the best approach. Cumulatively, these narratives Right in Line with Earth Optimism Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson (right), former President indicate that, most often, synthesizing “novel” of Iceland (1996-2016), who now serves as the elements with tried and tested approaches and • Mongabay highlighted the Conservation Chair of the Arctic Circle Assembly, in an onstage Comics from the Summit: Conservation conversation at the 2017 Earth Optimism Summit, mechanisms will likely best allow for replicability, Comics to the Rescue. See also https:// with Summit Co-Chair, Steven Monfort, Director scalability, and affordability of more success earthoptimism.si.edu/comic/ of the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute. stories and Optimism for Planet Earth. Photo credit: Ronda Ann Gregorio Continued on Page 11 10 History of Science Society Newsletter • October 2017 History of Science Society Newsletter Earth Optimism Summit 2017, cont.

• Nancy Knowlton, Sant Chair for Marine seeking examples of conservation success • Also at Smithsonian Insider are several feature Science at the Smithsonian’s National stories, Nancy suggests one of the best routes articles about the Summit and related research: Museum of Natural History (NMNH) is to search Twitter for #OceanOptimism or http://insider.si.edu/?s=Earth+Optimism. and co-Chair of the Earth Optimism 2017 #EarthOptimism. Nancy also co-authored From Smithsonian Tropical Research Summit, published a commentary piece an article with NMNH colleague Gary Institute in Panama, STRI News May 19, about its origins and aims in the “World Krupnick, “Earth Optimism: Success Stories 2017, bilingual illustrated coverage of the View” section of Nature (v.544, 20 April in Plant Conservation,” (Ann. Missouri Bot. Summit. And an article by Secretary Skorton 2017, p. 271). This includes a description of Gard.102:331-340) published on 11 August in the Smithsonian Torch: http://www.e- the “Ocean Optimism” Twitter campaign 2017. torch.org/2017/04/the-argument-for- she and colleagues started in 2014. For those environmental-optimism/

From ASU to HKU: My Academic Job-Search by Christine Yi Lai Luk (University of Hong Kong)

[Editor’s Note: After hearing about Christine’s and recruitment opportunities lured me needs of Hong journey in finding a position in the history of science homewards. Kong (at least in my (over a delightful breakfast in Rio de Janeiro), I perception). Before invited her to write about her experience for the Today, I am writing as a postdoctoral fellow coming to ASU, I did HSS Newsletter. I plan to print more such journeys from the University of Hong Kong (HKU), in future newsletters.] my bachelor’s and the most prestigious university in my home two master’s degrees In June 2015, I came back to Hong Kong, not town. Although my story is unconventional, at Hong Kong’s just to spend the summer, but to remain for I hope my experience could shed some light universities, which good. Since completing my PhD at Arizona for new PhDs in the history of science and the convinced me that I knew Hong Kong well. State University (ASU) the previous summer, humanities in general. Because of this assumed knowledge of my I, like many new graduates, had been looking home town, I felt nervous and distressed about for jobs all over the world. I taught at ASU My road to Hong Kong was paved with being unemployed in the US. as an adjunct for one semester, but after that uncertainty and fortuity. During my six-year ended in December, I had no jobs lined up. academic sojourn at ASU, I had no intention In addition to the financial pressure and As joblessness and visa constraints pushed of returning to Hong Kong, because my area the anxiety of unemployment, international me to leave the US, my familial support of specialty—the history of science in modern China—simply did not align with the hiring Continued on Page 12 11 History of Science Society Newsletter • October 2017 History of Science Society Newsletter From ASU to HKU, cont. students like me also face the extra burden I knew nothing would go differently unless I didn’t know what awaited me in Hong imposed by our visa situation. My F-1 student I genuinely made a fresh start. So I set new Kong other than my supportive parents, but visa expired the day I received my diploma, personal and professional goals as my new I remember feeling more confident and less but I could apply for a twelve-month optional year’s resolutions. Getting a job was, of course stressed when I boarded the plane. It wasn’t practical training (OPT) permit, with a further a professional priority, but was that really because I was confident about the future. one month to prepare for moving out of the my personal goal? Sure, I needed a job, but After six years away from Hong Kong, I hardly country. Usually, December is the busiest that’s not why I came to ASU in the first knew a thing about the local job market. My month in the academic hiring season. It is place. Although I had other admissions offers confidence sprang from focusing on doing the around that time of the year when candidates back then, I chose ASU primarily because single most important thing in my life. Of begin to receive requests for interviews and of the world-class scholarship and the trans- course, I know that writing and publication campus visits. disciplinary environment. Above all, I turned does not necessarily lead to a job offer, but down another more prestigious school for ASU the time I spent on pursuing and perfecting In contrast, my job search that year yielded no because I was so impressed with the scholarly academic writings illuminated what really results—no phone calls, no emails, nothing. writings produced by some ASU faculty mattered to me. The act of writing and revising I had no one to blame but myself. A few members. I never knew academic articles could and re-writing, though boring and repetitive at months before December, I was completely be written in such a fun and engaging manner. times, validates my life and makes me happy. occupied with teaching an upper-level Clear, creative, and compelling texts are not It is the kind of love that Erich Fromm so undergraduate course by myself. Since I had no just eye-opening but mesmerizing to a non- powerfully described in his 1956 book, The Art independent teaching experience prior to that native English speaker like me. of Loving. Overflowing with the joy of giving, I fall semester, I spent nearly every waking hour felt alive and hopeful about returning to Hong After taking some time to rethink and reflect, Kong, even without a job offer. preparing for the class and worrying whether I resolved to put all my efforts into the one I could make it to the end of the semester. task that I considered the most important: In pre-modern China, the imperial court When December approached, I was so happy writing. I spent the first half of 2015 writing would send new officials to serve at provinces to see the class coming to an end that I forgot and revising daily. I worked on a revise-and- other than their home provinces to avoid there was no job waiting for me. After I turned resubmit article and re-submitted within a abuses of power based on pre-existing networks in the final grades in mid-December, I started month; I wrote up a new article, from scratch of connections. This fact from China’s past to worry about my next step. Adding to my to submission, in less than three months; and sparks speculation on the motives of my difficult circumstances was the unforeseen more importantly, I published a monograph relocation. I have been asked on more than one dissolution of a two-year romantic relationship. and saw it to publication before I packed my occasion whether my current HKU position As it turned out, I was ill-prepared for both the bags to return to Hong Kong. job market and the dating market. Continued on Page 13 12 History of Science Society Newsletter • October 2017 History of Science Society Newsletter From ASU to HKU, cont. was a pre-meditated arrangement exploiting Harvard, Cornell, or Yale. It dawned on me what the search committee was thinking. On my Hong Kong-based family connections and that I stood no chance of entering such a place, the one hand, I did my best in front of the other guanxi factors. I wish it was that simple. and I expected my application be dropped audience, and their reactions suggested that Hong Kong consistently ranks as one of the immediately. they probably liked me; on the other hand, I most transparent and corruption-free cities in simply did not believe they genuinely would the world. Furthermore, I do not come from I was very surprised when I received a follow- hire me for such a competitive position. These an elite family with ready access to inter- up email from HKU in September asking questions left me sleep-deprived for several personal and social resources. In fact, my prior for a Skype interview. “What a good chance nights. connection with Hong Kong has no correlation to practice Skype interviews and prepare for with my existing employment at HKU. rejection!” I thought. After all, I had only had I almost fell out of bed when I picked up one previous Skype interview, and even though the phone three days later. “Hi, I am XXX It all began with a job advertisement I saw I knew this one would not lead to the next from HKU and I would like to speak to Dr. the following July about a tenure-track round, I still took it seriously. I familiarized Christine Luk.” I recognized the voice as a assistant professor opening in the humanities myself with every piece of information I member of the search committee. He told of science and technology. I applied, but could find about the institution, the search me the search committee had decided to hire secretly I knew the chance of getting committee, the job description, and practiced another candidate for the AP position, but shortlisted for such a competitive position speaking about my research and how I am a since the committee was very impressed with was slim, not least because Hong Kong is a good fit for the job. The Skype interview lasted my achievements and enthusiasm, they would status-conscious society—a money-oriented, for an hour. Based on the smiling faces I saw create a three-year postdoctoral fellowship for fame-obsessed urban jungle. In academia, from the web camera, I knew I had performed me, should I accept their offer. I thanked him it means an esteemed university like HKU quite well. I actually felt a bit sad that I for calling me and said I would consider the almost always pursues Ivy Leaguers. Although wouldn’t see those friendly faces again. offer. It was a totally unexpected outcome, people who know my field recognize ASU as breaking the binary of either acceptance or a renowned research university, the school as Two days later, I was invited to give a job talk rejection. In the end, I took the offer, because a whole simply does not command respect at HKU the following month. It was the first it was the best offer available to me. It only like Harvard or Princeton. I Googled the time I had ever been asked to do a job talk, took them three months to file the paperwork hiring department, a place called “the Hong and I had no idea what it meant to present and I started to work as a postdoc on the first Kong Institute for the Humanities and Social one’s research in such a setting, but I was glad day of March in 2016. Sciences,” and found that nearly all employees to have the opportunity to practice these skills. working as postdoctoral fellows or research In November, I gave the job talk, had lunch Although it is just a coincidence that I assistant professors held doctorates from with faculty members, and visited the campus. happened to have landed the right job for me When I left HKU, I still could not fathom Continued on Page 14 13 History of Science Society Newsletter • October 2017 History of Science Society Newsletter From ASU to HKU, cont. in my home town, my story of job-hunting what your personal priority is, it is difficult Since this postdoctoral fellowship is not a contains some lessons other than luck that for the search committee to see where your permanent offer, I am still on the job market might be helpful for folks coming out of professional commitment lies. looking for more sustainable jobs. I would be graduate schools: lying if I say I am not aiming at a tenure-track • Brace yourself for the bumpy road ahead. assistant professorship. But I don’t base my • First and foremost, figure out what is truly With all my idealistic advice on truthfulness self-worth on catching the brass ring as such. important to you. In retrospect, spending and what not, I can’t conceal the difficulties If I have learned anything from the last two the final six months on writing was the right I faced without a job. I was unemployed years, it is the importance of staying flexible strategy for me. From a pragmatic standpoint, for the entire year of 2015, meaning that I and preparing for different kinds of work writing leads to publications, which one can had no institutional affiliation, no access to opportunities outside of one’s familiar territory, use to impress search committees. But what specialized journals and databases, and no particularly the US. is more important is that writing gave me the office space, which is a huge issue in an ultra- confidence, because I genuinely believe that dense city like Hong Kong. To adapt, I went writing enriches my life. In comparison, my to a public library to work on my revisions, teaching experience did not really appeal to used online resources like Google Books and the search committee. Although I received Google Scholar for limited access to scholarly good teaching evaluations, I think people materials, and converted my bedroom into a could tell I simply was not as dedicated to loft bed with a writing desk underneath. teaching as I was to research and writing, which leads me to my second point. • Be open-minded and willing to embrace change. Just because you thought you knew • Have faith in people’s capacity to distinguish a place in the past doesn’t mean you know it Plan Ahead the truthful manifestations of commitment now. I thought I knew Hong Kong because Future HSS Meetings from the showy acts of grandiosity. Everyone of my background, but clearly the Hong Toronto, Ontario: 2017, 9-12 Nov. wants a job, but it is worth taking a step Kong in my perception is quite different back and thinking about what inspires you from the actual Hong Kong in front of Seattle: 2018, 1-4 Nov. Joint meeting with PSA the most. After teaching as an adjunct for my eyes, which is always in the process of one semester, I realize that I wanted to write evolving. The same applies to the academic Utrecht, The Netherlands: 2019, well more than I wanted to teach well. I job search. Sometimes the result is neither Early August! am eager to learn how to craft my teaching hire nor fire. In my case, there was a third skills, but research and writing form the core option out there beyond my imagination. of my scholarly identity. If you don’t know 14 History of Science Society Newsletter • October 2017 History of Science Society Newsletter Notre Dame Astronomy Workshop by Christopher Graney (Jefferson Community & Technical College)

Roughly sixty students and scholars from around the globe convened in northern Indiana this past July for the University of Notre Dame’s Thirteenth Biennial History of Astronomy Workshop, or NDXIII. NDXIII took place 5-6 July at Notre Dame, 7 July at the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, and 8-9 July again at Notre Dame. The theme of NDXIII was “Models and Mechanisms.” Presentations spanned cultures and ages. A significant portion of NDXIII addressed work from ancient Greece, specifically the Antikythera Mechanism. Dr. Michael Edmunds, emeritus professor at Cardiff University, where he was head of the School of Physics and Astronomy, gave two presentations on this subject: one for a general audience, and one for the more scholarly Workshop attendees on the steps of the Adler Planetarium, Chicago, Illinois. audience attending NDXIII. Dr. Edmunds, Photo courtesy of Matt Dowd. who is chair of the Antikythera Mechanism the lives of certain acquaintances. These tales history of astronomy, to take in a planetarium Research Project, chair of the Astronomical were variously full of reminiscing, grousing, and show, or to explore the Adler’s many exhibits Heritage Committee of the Royal Astronomical gloating, with the amount of each depending on that treat the history of astronomy and of space Society, and a former member of two UK the particulars of the tale. exploration. If desired, an NDXIII attendee Research Councils captivated both his general could also make a complete break and walk and scholarly audiences at Notre Dame with his The day at the Adler also included several hours along the shore of Lake Michigan: the weather discussions. At the Adler, he delighted scholar, of free time (a trip to the Adler has been a regular was good and attendees were treated to beautiful student, and layperson alike by portraying Isaac feature of these Notre Dame workshops for many views of the Lake and of the Chicago skyline. Newton in a short one-man play, “Sir Isaac years). This allowed those attending NDXIII Remembers....” In this play, an aging “Sir Isaac” to learn more about the Adler’s substantial regaled his audience with tales of his life and collection of resources and artifacts related to the Continued on Page 16 15 History of Science Society Newsletter • October 2017 History of Science Society Newsletter Notre Dame Astronomy The “March for Science” Workshop, cont. by Adam Shapiro (Birkbeck-University of London)

Those attending NDXIII were also treated On 22 April this year, close to a million people To that end, I began conducting oral history to other excellent scholarly presentations. participated in the worldwide event known as the interviews with organizers of the DC march and A complete list of titles and abstracts is “March for Science.” In terms of the number of several satellite marches, march participants, and available at https://www3.nd.edu/~histast/ people involved, the science march might be the critics, starting in early March and continuing workshops/2017ndxiii/abstracts. Presenters largest event in the history of science. Many of after the march took place. These interviews hailed from several countries in Europe and in us may disagree with this description, depending (approximately 70 so far) mostly conducted via the Americas. Most of these presentations were on how we want to define both “science” and Skype or telephone, are going to be archived followed by substantial rounds of questions “event.” But while fixation on crowd size is and transcribed by the Chemical Heritage and discussion, because both those chairing a hallmark of the current political climate in Foundation’s Center for Oral History. Once the presentations and the presenters themselves Washington, DC, where the “main” science processed, they will be a resource that does not stuck to the allotted times. The Biennial History march took place, for historians of science the represent a complete account of the march, but of Astronomy Workshops always feature busy science march has importance beyond its mere they do sample some of the diversity of opinions days—between presentations, food, opportunities numbers. The science march is not the same kind about what it means to act “for science.” In many for socialization, and other activities (including of science event that the publication of the Origin cases they also provide a snapshot of the everyday some observing through the telescope at the of Species, or the discovery of gravitational waves life of scientists and science allies for whom the University of Notre Dame’s observatory), is, but its importance is found in how it reflects march was a moment of confluence. Ideally, this attendees are kept busy from morning to well on the interactions among scientific practitioners, will become an archive that speaks not just to the after the sun sets. Thus students and scholars science enthusiasts and allies, and state entities march event itself, but also to the wider nature of leaving NDXIII on the afternoon of 9 July went and policymakers. science at this moment in history. away having been exposed to many new ideas and much collegiality. It is too soon to answer historical questions It has been widely reported that the march began about the effects of the march on scientific with a “throwaway comment” made on Reddit Planning has begun for the University of Notre practice, or whether or not the march reflects a saying that there needed to be a “Scientists’ Dame Fourteenth Biennial History of Astronomy significant change in the relationship between March on Washington” in response to news Workshop, or NDXIV, taking place 19-23 June scientific practitioners and the wider public. that federal websites were removing references 2019. Whether you are student or scholar or But as historians we can already make efforts to . I have interviewed the person simply interested in astronomy, mark it on your to understand the social, political, and personal who posted that comment, as well as several other calendar. factors that led a group of organizers, marchers, people involved in the first few days of planning. and critics to create this massive science spectacle. This origin story has a certain dramatic cachet, reinforcing the idea that the march was a totally 16 History of Science Society Newsletter • October 2017 History of Science Society Newsletter The “March for Science,” cont. sui generis event born out of grassroot frustration risks to federal funding, interference in STEM part, this issue became a proxy for an even wider with the Trump administration. It emphasizes education, and the continued legality of some discussion of what the “science” was that people the contingent nature of a history that implies kinds of biomedical research, some march were supporting. that the march would not have happened at all organizers (and critics) also observed that many were it not for one person happening upon that scientists are affected by changes to immigration There is an important story to be told about comment and then being inspired. policy, are at risk of discrimination or harassment how the march became professionalized and based on race, gender, or disability status; or are how those in charge shaped its identity for But there are additional origin stories that explain concerned with the historical and contemporary itself. But the story of the event is not contained how several people connected on a variety of use of scientific research to justify or exacerbate by its organizers and institutional affiliates. I and began to discuss different forms social injustice. Discussion over how much the interviewed several organizers of satellite marches, of science-led activism that coalesced into the science march should address these facts became in the US and overseas, many of whom operated science march. Interviews with many of the subsumed under a larger rhetoric over whether or with substantial autonomy. I also spoke to several march’s early organizers, including some who not science was “political.” people who had no hand in organizing either did not remain part of the march organization, the main march or a local one, but who planned reveal a more robust origin story. This is not to To people working in the history of science, to attend one. What the act of marching meant suggest that something like a science march was there are a few among us who would still argue to these people, what it meant to marchers to inevitable, but that historical cause and effect that science is not “political” and is simply a support science, was a varied and fascinating mix comes on a spectrum between irresistible social bias-free process of discovering more and more of ideas. Any public spectacle quickly evolves forces and want-of-a-nail style accidents. value-neutral facts about nature. Science has into an event whose meaning and purpose is always been political. But, in part, the debate reinterpreted and remade by its participants. The During the three months between the start over changes to the march’s diversity statements science march, perhaps because people agreed to of march organizing and the march itself, the reflected several different meanings of the word have it before they even agreed what it was about, science march organizers encountered a variety “political.” For some people, “not political” exemplifies this. of internal and external challenges. Several of was framed as not partisan (and as non-profit these revolved around questions of diversity and organizations became supporters of the march, In a year that has seen political and social norms inclusion in both the execution of the march the need to avoid explicitly partisan advocacy and conventional wisdom upturned across as an event and in the expression of goals and became part of the professionalization of the the globe, it is uncertain where science and its values of the march. For many involved in the march itself.) In other instances, the concerns of history will fit into the picture. My hope is that march, supporting science was inseparable from underrepresented minorities in sciences was cast recording some of the biggest event in science’s supporting the people who conduct science. as “political” while advocacy of a status quo that history in nearly-real time will give us some new Whereas many people were concerned about contributes to underrepresentation was not. In data to help address that challenge. 17 History of Science Society Newsletter • October 2017 History of Science Society Newsletter NASA in the “Long” Civil Rights Movement Symposium by Brian C. Odom, NASA

NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center and the with the Civil Rights Movement.” NASA Chief Jonathan Coopersmith (Texas A&M University) University of Alabama, Huntsville History Historian, Dr. Bill Barry, presented an overview highlighted the problematic aspects of locating Department hosted the “NASA in the ‘Long’ of how the US’s struggle over civil rights and and preserving materials generated by minority Civil Rights Movement” symposium earlier this the space program was viewed—and used—by movements. year. The event was held 16-17 March at the U.S. the Soviet Union, and National Air and Space Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama Museum curator Dr. Cathleen Lewis explored The symposium was open to the public, and included twenty-two presentations on a wide how this conflict reemerged in the 1980s with which led to many welcome and productive range of topics addressing issues of race, gender, the race between the US and the Soviet Union to conversations on a difficult topic. The interplay and labor as they related to the space program place the first person of color into space. between the audience and panelists created a during the period of the Civil Rights Movement forum for drawing parallels between the era in the US. The goal of this symposium was Several of the papers took a comparative of the Civil Rights Movement and current to provide more context for the voices and approach. Tim Pennycuff (University of Alabama discussions of equal employment in the STEM stories and, subsequently, develop a better at Birmingham) detailed how massive amounts (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) understanding, of the intersection of NASA and of federal funds pouring into Birmingham for fields. Veronica Henderson, a symposium the Civil Rights Movement. The concept of a research, health training, and medical treatment moderator and interim Head Archivist at “long” Civil Rights Movement was drawn from (like the funding that would later arrive with the Alabama A&M University, one of the US’s Jacquelyn Dowd Hall’s essay, “The Long Civil Apollo Program) provided both a justification Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Rights Movement and the Political Uses of the and a mandate for integration at the University of commented that, “As historians, we are able to Past,” which extended the chronological scope of Alabama at Birmingham, while Marsha Freeman add layers to the conversation, to connect the the Movement. examined earlier efforts at desegregation in the dots. Having historians get together and relate region by the Tennessee Valley Authority. Dr. the different stories to a point in history, we The presentations were stimulating and Matthew Downs (University of Mobile) argued can uncover more. We can explore things not incredibly diverse in topical and geographic that in Huntsville, civic and business leaders previously thought about or considered, and scope. Dr. Brenda Plummer (University of moderated their stance on desegregation and putting these stories into context allows us to see Wisconsin, Madison) gave an enlightening talk “accommodated the forces of change” out of things from a different point of view.” With the on the “intersection of the struggle for racial economic necessity. A final panel discussion recent interest in stories like those of Katherine equality and aerospace exploration, as both examined ways those engaged in public Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson, constituted potent narratives of freedom in the history can create more inclusive narratives as portrayed in the film Hidden Figures, it is American imaginary.” Dr. Plummer disputed and collections going forward. In his talk, hoped that we can continue to add new voices the assumption that NASA was an “instrument “And Where Do We Go from Here? Ensuring and greater historical context to such a critical of modernization” that was “implicitly allied the Past and Future History of Space,” Dr. topic.

18 History of Science Society Newsletter • October 2017 History of Science Society Newsletter Member News Jay “Gar” Allen (Washington University, Peter Collopy (Cal Tech) was named University July 2017, for the Stuttgart-based “Database of emeritus) and his long-standing co-author, Jeffrey Archivist at the California Institute of Technology. Scientific Illustrators 1450-1950” (DSI). The J.W. Baker have published a new text, Scientific ………… DSI is freely available at www.uni-stuttgart. Process and Social Issues in Biology Education de/hi/gnt/dsi and currently lists around 11,650 Surekha Davies (Western Connecticut State (Springer, 2017), aimed at students and others scientific illustrators (10% of which are women) University) will be a Mellon Longterm Fellow interested in how science works conceptually and from more than 100 countries, who were active at the Folger Shakespeare Library in 2017-18, operationally (through experimental design and between 1450 and 1950 in the fields of natural where she will be working on her second book application). The text uses a series of case studies, history, geology, botany, zoology, biology, project, Collecting Artifacts in the Age of Empire. ranging from mass extinction of the dinosaurs to medicine, astronomy, chemistry, physics, and ………… the discovery of Nerve Growth Factor (NGF), in some areas of technology, also listing their to illustrate the various processes of science as Aileen Fyfe (University of St. Andrews) has relatives, their regions of activity, techniques, a human creative activity. It also includes an been promoted to full Professor. She is the clients, secondary publications, archival sources, appendix on statistical methods in biology. The lead author on a briefing paper on the recent and more. Further information can be found book marks the fiftieth anniversary of their first history of scholarly publishing, which she at http://cbd-histsci.org/prizes/second-neu- textbook, The Study of Biology (Addison-Wesley, encourages all HSS members to read. It is titled whitrow-prize-awarded/, www.uni-stuttgart. 1967). In September Gar is giving a series of “Untangling Academic Publishing: A History of de/hi/gnt/hentschel and https://www. lectures at the School of Life Sciences at Biejing the Relationship between Commercial Interests, researchgate.net/profile/Klaus_Hentschel University, based on topics in the history of Academic Prestige and the Circulation of ………… genetics, embryology, and eugenics. And now Research”; it launched at the British Academy in Danian Hu (City College of New York) has that he is retired, he is able to devote the time May, and can be read via open access at https:// organized a special issue of the journal Endeavour necessary to finish a book on the history of zenodo.org/record/546100 on Chinese STM in the Cultural Revolution. genetics in the twentieth century, which attempts ………… Six other colleagues (Western and Chinese) have to place the field in its social and especially Klaus Hentschel (Director of the Section contributed to this special issue of Endeavour, economic context. for History of Science and Technology Volume 41, Issue 3 (September 2017), ………… GNT, Universität Stuttgart) and his team including HSS members Jia-Chen Fu (Emory Ronald S. Calinger’s (Catholic University of have been awarded the Neu Whitrow-Prize University) and Sigrid Schmalzer (University of America) book review of Johan C.-E. Sten, of the Commission on Bibliography and Massachusetts, Amherst). A Comet of the Enlightenment: Anders Johann Documentation of the International Union ………… for the History of Science and Technology, Lexell’s Life and Discoveries in The Mathematical Emelin E. Miller (University of Minnesota) is Division for the History of Science, during the Intelligencer, is now available online. a Newberry Library/Consortium of History of ………… 25th International Congress for the History of Science and Technology in Rio de Janeiro in late Science, Technology and Medicine Fellow for 19 History of Science Society Newsletter • October 2017 History of Science Society Newsletter Member News, cont. 2017-2018. Her topic is Empire of Ice: Arctic David Stump (University of San Francisco) has Matthew Howard Hersch (Harvard University) Natural History and British Visions of Nature, produced a new translation of Henri Poincaré’s for Abort to Orbit (Matthew also won the HSS/ 1650-1800. A list of other fellows appears at the Science and Hypothesis (jointly with M. Frappier NASA History of Space Science Fellowship as a end of this Newsletter. and A. Smith), to be published by Bloomsbury. student). ………… ………… Evan Ragland (University of Notre Dame) for Londa Schiebinger (Stanford University) Alex Wellerstein, along with two of his Experimental Life: Medicine, Science, and the has just published her new book: Secret Cures colleagues at the Stevens Institute of Technology, Emergence of a Culture of Experiment. Evan’s of Slaves: People, Plants, and Medicine in the Kristyn Karl and Julie Pullen, received an award Isis article on experimental life appeared in the Eighteenth-Century Atlantic World with Stanford for $500,000 from the Carnegie Institute of September 2017 issue. University Press. New York for the Reinventing Civil Defense Project For an overview of all ACLS fellowship ………… . The project will focus on novel ways to communicate about nuclear risks and to mitigate recipients, please refer to the ACLS website. The Making and Knowing Project, a research the consequences of nuclear detonations. Application deadlines for the upcoming cluster of the Center for Science and Society ………… 2017-18 competitions are posted on the at Columbia University, directed by Pamela website. H. Smith, is thrilled to welcome Drs. Sophie American Council of Learned Pitman and Tillmann Taape, who are joining Societies Fellowships Garland “Gar” Allen wins Dr. Tianna Uchacz (who has just completed her the HSS’s 2017 Sarton Medal first year) as Making and Knowing Postdoctoral The 2017 cohort of ACLS fellowship recipients Scholars and Lecturers in History. They will be includes several members of the History of Garland E. Allen, Science Society: co-teaching the Project’s Laboratory Seminar, Professor Emeritus in “Craft and Science.” This course’s exploration of Daniela Bleichmar (University of Southern the Department of craft-making and scientific knowing, along with California) received the Frederick Burkhardt Biology at Washington the other core Making and Knowing activities Residential Fellowship for Recently Tenured University in St. Louis, such as Expert Maker residencies and annual Scholars for The Itinerant Lives of Painted Books: has won the History Working Group Meetings, as well as continued Mexican Codices and Transatlantic Knowledge in of Science Society’s funding for the postdoctoral positions, has been the Early Modern World. 2017 Sarton Medal made possible through funding from Columbia Sarah Bridger (California Polytechnic State for lifetime scholarly University, the National Science Foundation, University, San Luis Obispo) for Science in the achievement. and the Henry Luce Foundation. Seventies: Battling for the Soul of a Profession, from ………… the Vietnam War to Star Wars. 20 History of Science Society Newsletter • October 2017 History of Science Society Newsletter Member News, cont. Allen is best known for his book Thomas Hunt delivered the Society’s annual Sarton Lecture the greatest achievements of 19th-century science, Morgan: The Man and His Science (Princeton at AAAS in 1998 and served on Council from and “Maxwell’s equations” have long held an University Press, 1978). His research has long 1994-1996. honored place in textbooks and on T-shirts. How combined history, philosophy, and biology and and why did the theory come to be cast into this he is also the co-author of several college biology The Sarton Medal will be awarded to Professor now canonical form of four vector equations, textbooks, including The Study of Biology and Allen at the annual meeting of the History and how and why was this done not by Maxwell Matter Energy and Life (both via Addison- of Science Society, in Toronto, Ontario, 10 himself in his great Treatise on Electricity and Wesley), as well as a more recent supplement November 2017. For past winners of the medal, Magnetism, but by Oliver Heaviside in the pages https://hssonline.org/about/honors/ titled Biology, Scientific Process, and Social go to of a London electrical trade journal? The answer, I sarton-medal/ Issues (Wiley, 2002) and a follow-up, Scientific . will argue, lies in the demands and opportunities Process and Social Issues in Biology Education 2018 AAAS Sarton Lecture presented by the global network of submarine (Springer, 2017). He is also the author of the telegraph cables, one of the characteristic highly-regarded monograph Life Science in the Bruce Hunt technologies of the British Empire in the second Twentieth Century (Cambridge University Press, (University of Texas, half of the 19th century. Heaviside, himself a 1975, 1978). Allen has written dozens of articles Austin) will deliver the former telegrapher, was steeped in the problems over the last 50 years on evolution, heredity, 2018 George Sarton facing cable telegraphy, particularly the distortion genetics, and eugenics, as well as their attendant Memorial Lecture or “retardation” signals suffered in transmission. political and social issues. He is currently in the History and It was Heaviside’s search for effective tools with writing a history of genetics in the twentieth which to tackle such problems that led him to century for Harvard University Press, situating at the annual meeting take up Maxwell’s theory in the 1870s and to the explosive development of the field in its of the American recast it into the four “Maxwell’s equations” in socio-economic context. Association for the 1885. In addition to his scholarship, Allen has served Advancement of Science. The title and International Union of the on panels and in leadership positions for the History and Philosophy of National Science Foundation, the Smithsonian abstract of his talk appears below: Institution, the Hastings Center, the National “Imperial Science: Victorian Cable Science and Technology Endowment for the Humanities, and the Telegraphy and the Making of (IUHPST) Prizes for Young National Institutes of Health. Most recently ‘Maxwell’s Equations’” Scholars he has been the President of the International Society for the History, Philosophy and Social James Clerk Maxwell’s theory of the The IUHPST’s Division of History of Science Studies of Biology (ISHPSSB, 2007-2009). He electromagnetic field is rightly regarded as one of and Technology recognized distinguished young 21 History of Science Society Newsletter • October 2017 History of Science Society Newsletter Member News, cont. scholars at the recent International Congress in important, concrete sign of the University’s There is the Sea, Vast and Spacious: Slavery, Rio de Janeiro. The prize recognizes exceptional commitment to Dr. Weldon’s work and the Natural History, and Collections of Marine dissertation theses (defended in the last four importance of the Isis CB. We are delighted that Life in the 18th-Century British Atlantic years) from around the world. The HSS would Dr. Weldon’s hard work and creativity in this Christopher Blakley, Rutgers, The State University like to recognize and congratulate those of its enterprise has been recognized. The HSS and of New Jersey members who were among the winners and the University have almost completed another honorable mentions. Prize winners included 5-year agreement for OU to continue to host Horses, Slaves, and Sugar: New England and Layne Karafantis (Johns Hopkins University), the Bibligrapher’s office. The HSS is grateful for the 18th-Century Atlantic World Under Control: Constructing the Nerve Centers the University’s support. Charlotte Carrington-Farmer, Roger Williams of the Cold War; Andrew Stuhl (University of University Wisconsin, Madison), Empires on Ice: Science, History of Science at Indigenous Natural History in the “Aztec Nature, and the Making of the Modern Arctic; the American Historical Encyclopedia” and an honorable mention for Michael Jeremy Association Iris Montero Sobrevilla, Brown University Barany (Princeton University), Distributions in Postwar Mathematics. HSS sponsored three sessions for the AHA Comment: Marcy Norton, University of conference, to be held in Washington DC, 4-7 Pennsylvania HSS Bibliographer and the January 2018. We were delighted that all three University of Oklahoma were accepted (it is difficult to land a spot on the Anatomy and the Construction of AHA program). The sponsored panels appear Identity The Department of below. Congratulations to the participants in Chair: Karen A. Rader, Virginia Commonwealth the History of Science these sessions! University at the University of Animals in the Early Modern Atlantic Oklahoma is pleased Joseph Banks and the Skull Trade World Anita Guerrini, Oregon State University to announce that the Chair: Molly A. Warsh, University of Pittsburgh position of Associate American Fossils: Exhibiting Nature and Professor Stephen “Little More Room Than a Drawing”: Nation in New York’s Great Dinosaur Hall Weldon, the Society Flattening Animals and Reconstructing Craft Alison Laurence, Massachusetts Institute of Bibliographer, has Practice in the British Atlantic, 1740–1820 Technology been converted from Whitney Barlow Robles, Harvard University a “ranked renewable term” position to a tenure line. This is an

22 History of Science Society Newsletter • October 2017 History of Science Society Newsletter

Member News, cont. Fellowship and Grants The Anatomy of Antisemitism: Jews, Cadavers, and the of Medical Discourse in East D. Kim Foundation Central Europe for the History of Science and Natalia Aleksiun, Touro College, Graduate School Technology in East Asia of Jewish Studies The D. Kim Foundation offers a number of fellowships and grants for the history of science and Comment: Karen A. Rader, Virginia technology in modern East Asia, with an emphasis on the twentieth century. The Foundation Commonwealth University also supports research in related fields such as medicine, , mathematics, and comparative studies that include East Asia. We especially welcome applications from graduate students and young scholars. The Emergence of Racial Modernities in the Global South Chair: Warwick Anderson, University of Sydney The Chilean Exception: Racial Homogeneity, Mestizaje, and Nationalism Sarah Walsh, University of Lisbon

Stranded on a Strange Shore: Moments in the Formation of Racial Subjectivity in the Pacific Miranda Johnson, University of Sydney The Blondes of Aituha and Other Stories: The Racialization of Indigenous Traditions in Trustees of the D. Kim Foundation (from left to right): Takehiko Hashimoto, Stuart W. Leslie, Dagmar Schäfer, Angela K. C. Leung, Colonial East Timor Suzanne Moon, Christopher Cullen, Dong-Won Kim, Shigehisa Kuriyama Ricardo Roque, University of Lisbon The Foundation provides postdoctoral and dissertation fellowships, visiting studentships, Objectivity, Race, and Cold War Social research and travel grants, and conference/workshop grants. Committed to global outreach, the Science: Race Relations in World Perspective Foundation encourages applications from students and scholars from non-US universities. The application deadline for fellowships and grants is December 1, 2017. Deadline for conference/ Sebastián Gil-Riaño, University of Pennsylvania workshop grants is December 1, 2017 or May 1, 2018. Comment: Warwick Anderson, University of For details and further information, including lists of past and current fellowship recipients, please visit our website, Sydney www.dkimfoundation.org 23 History of Science Society Newsletter • October 2017 History of Science Society Newsletter In Memoriam John Chynoweth Burnham Following study at Johns Hopkins and Chicago the Advancement of Science. Division 26 of the 14 July 1929 — 12 May 2017 as a postdoctoral fellow, he spent more than American Psychological Association presented two years attached to the research unit of the him with the Lifetime Achievement Award for John Burnham was Austen Riggs Center in Stockbridge, MA. After his leadership in the history of psychology. He best known for his two years as assistant professor of history at San also received the Lifetime Achievement Award work in the history of Francisco State University, he moved to The of the American Association for the History medicine, the history Ohio State University, where he served on the of Medicine in 2014. He held committee of psychiatry and faculty from 1963 to 2002. Over the years, he appointments in many national and international psychoanalysis, and taught thousands of students at Ohio State at organizations and was president of the Midwest sociocultural history, every level, from first-year to graduate. He also Junto of the History of Science and, in 1990- particularly in the taught postdoctoral resident physicians in the 1992, president of the American Association United States. He Department of Psychiatry. Awarded the honorary for the History of Medicine. Beyond the formal published ten books title of Research Professor of History when he record, John served as a powerful influence and edited four more. became emeritus, he spent 2002-2003 as Bye- among his colleagues to uphold disciplinary Two of the books won Fellow in Robinson College at the University standards in history writing, especially in the prizes. He also greatly influenced scholarship with of Cambridge in England. Thereafter he was difficult areas of the history of science and more than eighty articles, many of which were associated with the Medical Heritage Center at medicine and cultural history. He was an reprinted in other places—some more than once. Ohio State. He also served as a Senior Fulbright informal mentor to many graduate students Lecturer in in 1967 at the University and young historians from all over the United His education spanned the US. He graduated of Melbourne and in 1973 at the Universities of States and many other countries, some briefly, from West Seattle High School, a big-city public Tasmania and New England. In 1999 he taught some for a lifetime, and many just through his school where he obtained an extraordinary for a term as a distinguished foreign visiting unacknowledged peer reviewing and editing. education, and then went on to Stanford professor at the University of Sydney in Australia. He formally served as editor of the Journal of the University on a scholarship, took a master's Over the years, he gave invited lectures not only History of the Behavioral Sciences from 1997 to degree in history at the University of Wisconsin, in North America and Australia but in Japan 2000. and then returned to Stanford, where he took and all over Europe. At Ohio State, he was a PhD in history in 1958. Meanwhile, he recognized with a Distinguished Scholar Award, His publications tended to have one consistent began his full-time teaching at Stanford and and a library purchase fund and an endowed theme: he pioneered many new fields and at Claremont Men's College. He then spent lecture series were named in his honor. He was a lines of inquiry and revised old ones. His most three years as a postdoctoral fellow of the Fellow of the American Psychological Association striking finding was that, contrary to what Foundations’ Fund for Research in Psychiatry. and a Fellow of the American Association for propagandists and journalists had written,

24 History of Science Society Newsletter • October 2017 History of Science Society Newsletter In Memoriam, cont. American Prohibition on the whole was not a John Burnham was a historian's historian. His Robert S. Cohen failure but was successful in diminishing the bad last major paper, “The Death of the Sick Role,” 18 February 1932 — 19 June 2017 social effects of alcoholic beverages. One of his re-set the chronology of the field of the recent early papers was reprinted several times because it history of medicine. And just before that, he had Although not a showed how cultural change influenced scientific named a new phase in the scholarship in another historian of science, change in psychiatry and psychology. He wrote field, “The New Freud Studies.” He continued Robert (Bob) Cohen the first history of the gasoline tax in the United to publish after his retirement and to mentor exerted enormous States, an article that helped set off the field of younger scholars. His work inspired the HSS’s influence in HPS. the history of the automobile. Later he ventured Forum for History of Human Science to establish A beautiful again into the field of history of technology with the John C. Burnham Early Career Award, which remembrance of him a masterful history of accident proneness. He recognizes outstanding manuscripts written was penned by Don was one of the very first to bring the history of by early-career scholars. See http://fhhs.org/ Howard and Alisa sexuality into mainstream history. And he was awards/. Bokulich. the first professional historian to work full time The Columbus Dispatch on the history of psychiatry. He was particularly Excerpts taken from from effective in discerning eras in the history of May 14 to May 15, 2017. medicine of the twentieth century, most recently Frederick B. Churchill in a master narrative and probably his most 14 December 1932 — 22 July 2017 influential book was a history of popularizing science and health care in the United States, We were sorry to learn Healthcare in America: A History, in which he of Fred Churchill’s used social science as well as other sources to death. An In explain the role of science in broader American Memoriam piece will history. The book which had the largest appear in the January circulation was a heavily revisionist account Newsletter. of Bad Habit: Drinking, Smoking, Gambling, Taking Drugs, Sexual Misbehavior, and Swearing in American History. At the end of his career, he wrote a synthesis that established a new narrative and reconceptualization of the entire field of the history of American health care.

25 History of Science Society Newsletter • October 2017 History of Science Society Newsletter In Memoriam, cont. Ann Johnson Ann at its center. I told her once that my favorite among a myriad of possible options, given the 28 May 1965 — 11 December 2016 people took their work, but not themselves, restrictions of time, materials, and cost. From (By an Ann Johnson Community*) seriously. Ann fit that description perfectly, and 1990 to 1995 she was an Assistant Professor the months since her death have only confirmed of Theatre Technology at the University of Ann Johnson, Associate how profound her loss—as a colleague and a Southern California, Los Angeles. Professor of Science friend—has been and continues to be. and Technology Having explored one half of her undergraduate Studies at Cornell Ann’s path to the history of science and interests, Ann turned back to the second— University, passed away technology was more circuitous than many. history—for her PhD, which she completed at in Ithaca on December She’d been a scholar-athlete in high-school, Princeton in 2000. In reply to a question about 11, 2016. She was holding state titles in New Jersey in discus his memories with Ann in graduate school, David 51. I had known and shot put. That fact would surprise no one Brock observed that coming up with a single Ann through chance who had seen Ann powering up hills on her story seemed impossible. “Slowly,” he wrote, “it meetings at annual bicycle in Ithaca or Columbia in all kinds of has dawned on me that maybe this problem is conferences for years weather. She completed a Bachelor’s degree actually the thing. For me, Ann’s real mode was and we had overlapped at the College of William and Mary in 1986, making and working in communities, small and in graduate school at Princeton, although she had with departmental honors in history and larger. Ann was truly curious, and was seriously already taken up an instructorship at Fordham theatre and continued with the latter with an into, but not overly serious in manner, getting University when I arrived. We had bonded via MFA in the Department of Technical Design at problems that interested her. And she was Facebook, where both of us spent far too much and Production at Yale’s School of Drama easily interested. Things far and wide caught her time, and where Ann would mix jokes and in 1990. Ann had done some scenic design attention, and she would dig into them. Often updates with her sister, Katie Lewandowski, with as an undergraduate, and her masters’ work for years. And the way she would dig into them ongoing discussions concerning German soccer concentrated on structural engineering and the was gathering with others by joining groups what and questions both deep and frivolous about the construction of scenic designs for the stage. One were already out there, or helping to build new history and philosophy of science, technology, can see the seeds of her later work in these early groups.… I guess it isn’t surprising she thought and medicine. She became my colleague at studies. In her third year, she taught a class that a lot about ‘knowledge communities.’” Those Cornell in July 2015, and we continued to trade introduced students to a piece of engineering communities were the subject of her thesis, comments via Messenger, even as our offices were software, named Algor, for finite element “Engineering Culture and the Production of only yards apart. I have re-read those threads over analysis. Students tended to want to simply plug Knowledge: An Intellectual History of Anti-Lock the past few months, realizing that I had come numbers in to get a result, but the real task, Braking Systems,” completed under Michael to imagine a future in our department that had of course, was identifying and then choosing Mahoney.

26 History of Science Society Newsletter • October 2017 History of Science Society Newsletter In Memoriam, cont.

That technology constitutes a form of knowledge periodical Engineering Studies, which published who led similar efforts at other schools. Ann’s was among the ideas that shaped the very its first issue in 2009. interest in topics such as molecular modeling and foundation of Ann’s work on engineering. nano-manufacturing was linked to her interest in Heidi Voskuhl remembered that both her first Ann had been an instructor in the History the broader topic of “emerging technologies.” conversation with Ann (sometime in the winter of Department at Fordham from 1997 to 1999 and 2004) and their last one (in 2016, in a restaurant a visiting Instructor at the Yale School of Drama This culminated in an international workshop near Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia) revolved from 1999-2000 as she worked on her dissertation. she organized in 2013 with Cyrus and Patrick. around this, as did everyone in between. Ann, In 2000 she became an Assistant Professor at Patrick recalled that Ann was adamant about Heidi, and others liked to refer to the set of Fordham, a position she held until 2004, with a two things: a “no jerks” policy when it came themes and questions they were struggling with year in that period spent as a Fellow at the Charles to extending invitations to senior scholars as “HPT,” in facetious reference to the tried- Warren Center for the Study of American History and a commitment to creating a welcoming and-tested tradition of HPS. In fact, a great deal at Harvard University. Eclectic in her interests environment for students and junior researchers. of Ann’s reflections (such as in her widely-read before taking up the history of science and A position paper she wrote helped establish the review essay in Perspectives on Science from 2005) technology, that eclecticism and breadth of interest intellectual agenda of the workshop, which some was to find ways of making explicit how historians became a mark of Ann’s research. During her years 40 people attended. Although Ann did not have and philosophers of technology handle problems at Fordham she published material deriving from the opportunity to publish it, this short essay of engineering knowledge vis-à-vis the ways that her dissertation on Anti-Lock Brakes, on the Cold- displayed the keen sorts of insights her friends historians of science handle scientific knowledge. War history of finite element analysis (the method and colleagues came to expect. For example, at the core of her engineering class at Yale), and on drawing on classic STS literature, Ann asked In her dissertation and the book that came out the history of nanotechnology. Ann’s interest in the “what happens when emerging technologies of it, Ann picked up ideas from the 1970s in science of small, Patrick McCray noted, was fueled achieve closure?” Do they stop “emerging?” And the social history of American engineering by with some sizable research grants. Between 2002 what about a technology that seems to emerge Edward Layton and others and merged them and 2005, Ann helped raise over $2.5 million to more than once? Like the other areas that Ann with ideas from Science Studies from the 80s start a host of research and education programs worked on, her engagement with nanoscience and and 90s, advancing the notion of knowledge that explored the history and societal dimensions emerging technologies combined her knowledge communities and giving it concrete and specific of nanoscience at the University of South Carolina. about the history of engineering communities contours in the study of anti-lock braking In addition to producing more than a score of with her expertise in ethics and policy making. technologies. Together with Gary Downey research articles and conference papers, Ann’s and others, Ann subsequently re-founded and initiative helped create an interdisciplinary team In 2004, Ann moved to the University of South revitalized the sub-discipline engineering studies of researchers at USC and connected these people Carolina, where she held joint appointments in and served as founding associate editor of the with other scholars like Patrick and Cyrus Mody history and philosophy. She was tenured and promoted to associate professor in 2009. That 27 History of Science Society Newsletter • October 2017 History of Science Society Newsletter In Memoriam, cont. same year saw the publication of an issue of would discuss the feminist politics attached to It still seems impossible, as I walk past her office, Osiris that she co-edited with Carol E. Harrison philosophy, and everything would come full that she’s not there for another conversation. Leo on National Identity: The Role of Science and circle. Ann was a philosopher, Heidi writes, but Slater, who was a graduate student with Ann Technology. Ann also served on the editorial always someone who saw knowledge attached to at Princeton put it simply: “we are all a little board of Osiris and as an associate editor of people, to class, race, gender, to marginalization. dumber without her around.” Perhaps even that Technology and Culture, yet another symbol of Philosophy was for her a way of coming to might be mitigated by her memory. This year her systematic blending of the history of science terms with—and one way of combatting— sees the foundation of the Ann Johnson Institute and technology. At the memorial held for Ann discrimination. for Science, Technology, and Society at the in Columbia in May 2017 it became clear what University of South Carolina, endowed by Ann’s a force she had been in her almost dozen years at Ann came to Cornell in 2015 and quickly made parents, Elaine and Jim Johnson, and co-directed USC. Both graduate and undergraduate students her mark on her new department. It became by Allison Marsh and Leah McClimans. spoke of her close and careful mentorship something of a running joke that she knew and guidance. As Leah McClimans noted, at about—and could potentially teach—almost Ann is survived by her parents, her sister Katie, first meeting, Ann’s deadpan humor could be anything. The year before her arrival, she had her husband, Mark Stevens, and her son, Evan. published a volume co-edited with James somewhat terrifying, and Ann did not tolerate *Doing justice to the breadth of Ann’s work Toxic Airs: Body, Place, the pompous or self-aggrandizing well. Yet the Rodger Fleming titled requires a range of intellectual capacities that few Planet in Historical Perspective individuals possess. We hope Ann likes the fact flipside of this—as everyone who I spoke to (2014), a work at the intersection of the history of science, that one more community was called into being remarked—was that Ann was a fierce advocate to remember her properly. Suman Seth, Patrick technology, and the environment, Envirotech, for those less confident and less politically McCray, and Heidi Voskuhl wrote the text, with the savvy than herself. An array of younger faculty and environmental studies more broadly. She help of Mark Stevens, David Brock, Allison Marsh, Leah McClimans, Sara Pritchard, and Leo Slater. spoke of Ann’s support during the early, and continued to collaborate with engineers to often later, years of their careers. Conscious identify affordable, environmentally-suitable building materials in Mexico that could better Silvan “Sam” Schweber of the hurdles that class, race, or gender could 10 April 1928 — 14 May 2017 impose, Ann lived her politics unostentatiously, withstand hurricanes and climate change. In her last semester, our “historian of technology” both arguing for and working towards parity in We were saddened by the death of Sam taught a course on the life sciences and society faculty meetings and interpersonal interactions. Schweber earlier this year. An In Memoriam and one on the philosophy of medicine. In Heidi’s memory, if there was one theme that piece is underway. Those who knew Sam may she and Ann had more discussions about than Ann was forthright with both her students and be interested in a special gathering to honor about the epistemology of engineering, it was her colleagues about her diagnosis, and insisted his memory, to be held at the HSS meeting in about soccer, in particular women’s soccer and on teaching right until the end of term, even as Toronto, on Saturday evening, 11 November 2017. the feminist politics attached to it. In turn, they treatments and the disease itself took their toll. Details will be available in the meeting program. 28 History of Science Society Newsletter • October 2017 History of Science Society Newsletter News from the Profession History of Science, Technology The Consortium’s scholarly programming University) to Cold War university industrial and Medicine 2016-2017 encompasses a research fellowships program patronage (Joseph D. Martin, National Science and scholarly working groups. In 2016-2017, Foundation). More information on past and Annual Report Summary the Consortium supported twenty fellows from current fellows can be found here: https://www. (Prepared for the History of Science Society, by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. These chstm.org/fellowships/chstm-fellowships. Babak Ashrafi, Executive Director) scholars made 60 research trips to library and museum collections of member institutions. Scholarly working groups complement fellows’ The Consortium for the History of Science, The fellowships include one NEH Postdoctoral research. In 2016-2017, working groups met Technology and Medicine is an international Fellow, two dissertation fellows, five fellows 65 times and included the participation of 220 consortium of educational, cultural, and in residence, and twelve (short-term) research scholars from 100 different institutions from as scientific institutions that promotes public and fellows. Topics ranged from American psychical far away as Istanbul, Krakow, Sao Paolo, Beijing, academic understanding of the history of science, research in the late nineteenth and early twentieth Singapore, and Hong Kong. Groups include: technology, and medicine through public and centuries (Alicia Puglionesi) to nineteenth- Ancient and Medieval Sciences; Biological scholarly programming. Established in 2007 as century Hawai‘i’ sugar plantations (Lawrence Sciences; Early Modern Science; Earth and a regional collaboration of eleven institutions Kessler, CHSTM) to the sulphur industry in Environmental Sciences; History and Philosophy in the Philadelphia area, today, the Consortium Mexico in the mid-late twentieth century (Oscar of Science; Human Sciences; Medicine and includes 23 members throughout the United Moisés Torres Montúfar, El Colegio de México). Health; Physical Sciences; Science Beyond the States as well as in Canada. The History of West; and Technology. Prospective participants Science Society joined the Consortium in 2016. In 2017-2018, the largest fellowship class to date may apply to join via the working group page on This year, CHSTM welcomed two new members: is pursuing research on the history of China, our web site, and working group members may the Society for the History of Technology and Egypt, and India, as well as diverse regions in participate in person or online. More information the Adler Planetarium in Chicago. SHOT the United States and transnational areas. These on scholarly working groups can be found here: requires no introduction for HSS members. scholars will complete more than fifty research https://www.chstm.org/groups. But not everyone may be familiar with the trips at member institutions. As with 2016-2017, Adler. It is America’s oldest planetarium and the fellowships include one NEH Postdoctoral The Consortium’s public programming the only independent planetarium in the world Fellow, and two dissertation fellows. This year, encompasses public lectures and discussions, holding significant library and object collections the Consortium will host six fellows in residence film viewings, and more. These events share and engaging in science and history research. and fund thirteen (short-term) research fellows. the products of scholarship—and spur new Prospective fellows or any researcher may Research topics range from textile factories in conversations—with public and academic search across Consortium book and manuscript twentieth-century China (Yuan Yi, Columbia audiences. The Consortium uses the history collections at our web site: https://www.chstm. University) to women’s higher education in of science to offer broad audiences historical org/consortium-special-collections-search-hub. physics (Johanna F. Behrman, Johns Hopkins perspectives on pressing contemporary issues. Member institutions in the Philadelphia area have 29 History of Science Society Newsletter • October 2017 History of Science Society Newsletter News from the Profession, cont. hosted events as well. Thanks to a grant from program (typically 9-11 speakers). Please visit conversation, and ACS is committed to ensuring the Pew Charitable Trusts, this programming columbiahistoryofsciencegroup.org for more that science and scientists are represented.” will expand in 2017-2020 and will be hosted at information on the meeting, or to be included in member institutions located anywhere. CHSG’s mailing list. The nine proposed emojis are a lab coat, test tube, microbe, petri dish, DNA structure, The Consortium is in the last year of a campaign compass, abacus, fire extinguisher and goggles. to establish a $2,000,000 endowment for its American Chemical Society, They came to life last year during a brainstorming fellowship programs. For the fiscal year ending GE Joint Effort Could Broaden session sponsored by GE and led by ACS staff June 30, 2017, the Consortium derived 74% at Emojicon, a conference in San Francisco of its income from grants, 22% of its income Use of Science Emojis devoted to all things emoji. These icons will be from membership dues, and 4% of its income (The full article can be found on the ACS evaluated for inclusion as official emojis this fall from gifts. In that year, 67% of its expenses went website.) by the Unicode Consortium, a nonprofit that toward fellowships, 22% toward administration, develops and maintains software standards used For most of us, emojis are a fun way to express 7% toward events, and 4% toward producing internationally. If approved, one or more of them ourselves. But for many scientists, these online content. could be rolled out for use in 2018 while the expressive icons are a disappointment because others could begin appearing on phone keyboards so few of them represent aspects of their daily To learn more about and stay abreast of the in the next few years. Consortium’s activities, visit our web site and work lives. That could soon change, however. join the mailing list at https://www.chstm.org/. Nine new science emojis proposed jointly by the Of the more than 1,300 emojis currently The web site provides a list of upcoming regional American Chemical Society (ACS) and General available, fewer than a dozen explicitly represent and Consortium events, Consortium fellowships Electric (GE) are being considered by a technical science. These include a microscope, a telescope, information, and working group meeting review board for addition to the hundreds already and an alembic (an alchemical still used for information. in use. distillation). Prior to this joint effort, ACS and GE had each sought to rectify this scarcity in “I’m delighted that ACS in collaboration with its own way: ACS developed chemojis, a set of GE is leading the effort to create science emojis,” CHSG and Friday Harbor chemistry-themed digital stickers, while GE says ACS Executive Director and CEO Thomas The Columbia History of Science Group will created Emoji Science, an emoji-based science J. Connelly Jr., PhD. “Emojis have become hold its annual meeting on beautiful San Juan information campaign. Island (Washington State) 2-3 March 2018. an essential communication tool in today’s Erik M. Conway will deliver Friday evening’s society, with more than 6 billion emojis and ………… keynote address. Graduate students, faculty, emoticons sent around the world every day on The American Chemical Society, the world’s and independent scholars are all welcome to mobile messaging apps. Science emojis would largest scientific society, is a not-for-profit submit proposals for consideration on Saturday’s boost—and help demystify—science in modern organization chartered by the US Congress.

30 History of Science Society Newsletter • October 2017 History of Science Society Newsletter News from the Profession, cont. ACS is a global leader in providing access to the Rio congress will appear in the January “Gendering Science: Women and Men Producing chemistry-related information and research Newsletter. Knowledge.” through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. ACS does not In her President’s Report, M. Rentetzi recalled conduct research, but publishes and publicizes Highlights from the the conditions of her election in 2013 in absentia peer-reviewed scientific studies. Its main offices Commission on Women and to underline the constraints on scholars in are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio. economically distressed countries like Greece. Gender Studies in History This situation is a wider phenomenon and limits To automatically receive press releases from of Science, Technology the ability of Commission members to attend the American Chemical Society, contact and Medicine’s business meetings. For this reason, it has been a priority [email protected]. of the Commission to seek new grant funding to meeting in Rio de Janeiro, support the travel of scholars in financial need. 27 July 2017 International Congress on Since becoming President, Rentetzi has sought After the President of the Commission, Maria to attract more young scholars and new ideas the History of Science and Rentetzi, welcomed the attendees and opened the to the Commission. One strategy was through Technology meeting, Secretary of the Commission, Donald the creation of the Agnodike Fellowship. It has also been a Commission priority to attract HSS Director, Jay Malone (right) with Josué L. Opitz, provided a report on the activities of better geographical representation among its Bertolin on the Praia Vermelha campus of the the Secretary since 2013. Four annual reports participants and members. There remain gaps Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, site of were submitted to the DHST (each November), in this representation, especially from Africa. the 25th International Congress of History of with summaries of Commission activities Special effort was made to recruit speakers from Science and Technology. Bertolin was conducting and financial status. The Secretary created a underrepresented geographical regions to the interviews for Brazilian television. He is a student listserv for the Commission, hosted by DePaul Commission’s 2015 conference in Prague, and at Universidade University (USA), and this listserv has improved through networking one of the plenary speakers de São Paulo communications among Commission members. was Francisca Nneka Okeke of Nigeria. and gave a Other developments include the establishment fascinating talk of Facebook and Twitter sites. Although the The President underscored the importance titled “Science Commission has a website, it is proposed to of communications and social media for and Faith develop a new website in the current year. the Commission’s continued development in Debate: DHST funds have been granted for this purpose. and vitality. As an example, the symposium, A Brazilian The Secretary also reported on the successes “Revisiting the Marie Curie Effect,” organized by Experience.” of Commission-sponsored symposia and its Isabelle Lémonon for the European Society for A report on “in-between” conference in Prague in 2015, History of Science meeting in Prague in 2016, 31 History of Science Society Newsletter • October 2017 History of Science Society Newsletter News from the Profession, cont. originated in a post she made to the Facebook 3. The in-between meeting of the Commission will update its archive every four years. It’s an page and ideas that circulated on the listserv. will be held in 2019, in Tel-Aviv, with Nurit open question whether Commission records Kurisch as local host. Once details of the can be included. The issue needs further The President offered these recommendations for meeting’s time and place are secured, a call discussion, especially to identify which the Commission’s future work: for suggested conference themes will be sent records already exist and where.

to the listserv. 1. Establishment of “Regional Representatives”: Meanwhile, the Secretary will post all public Europe (2), United States (2), Latin 4. The President encourages Commission reports and minutes to the new website. America (2), Asia (2), and Africa (2). The members to consider a COST Action 8. Rentetzi and Jami presented on the ICSU representatives’ responsibilities would be to application, and other possible grants. project, “A Global Approach to the Gender assist in disseminating information about the COST Action is a European Union grant for Gap in Mathematical and Natural Sciences: Commission and its opportunities within networking, e.g., summer schools, exchange How to Measure It, How to Reduce It?” (The their respective regions. visits, travel, conferences, and workshops. “Gender Gap.”) This project includes three Commission officers offered to assist 2. Éva Katalin Vámos Distinguished Lecture objectives: to carry out a global survey to Commission members with applications. The President recalled the discussion held in see how the experiences of men and women Prague during the ESHS meeting, at which 5. It is proposed to host a Summer School in in the sciences may differ; to carry out a the Commission members present supported Greece on the theme: “gender and digital publications analysis; and to create a database history of science,” perhaps in 2019 in of best practices. the establishment of a Distinguished Lecture in the name of the late Éva Katalin connection with the Tel-Aviv meeting. CWGS members are invited to submit a list Vámos, a Hungarian historian of science 6. A redesign of the website is proposed, and of their publications that relate to the project, who for many years worked at a museum will be carried out in the upcoming months so that the Commission can make available for history of technology in Budapest. under the Secretary’s initiative. its expertise to the project. The Commission Vámos was the second President of the might also have the opportunity to contribute Commission (following Margaret Rossiter). 7. A discussion about archiving Commission directly to the research as participants (e.g., The Commission officers agreed to create reports and records took place. Catherine conducting interviews). Jami will inquire if parameters for the selection and a call for Jami indicated the archive of the DHST in there is funding to support such research. nominations. Members who are interested in Paris is restrictive. One question is whether A workshop was held in Paris in June, participating in the selection should contact the archive should be digital or physical. attended by Jami (representing IUHPST) the Secretary. The first Éva Katalin Vámos Past presidents have records that may be and Anne-Sophie Godfroy (representing the Distinguished Lecturer will be selected for the combined with other archives, in which case Commission). Workshops will be held in 2019 “in-between” meeting. the Commission should have a catalog of Taiwan (8-9 Nov.), Bogotá (22-24 Nov.), where records will be deposited. The DHST 32 History of Science Society Newsletter • October 2017 History of Science Society Newsletter News from the Profession, cont. and Cape Town (30 Nov. -1 Dec.). Members NEH Announces $39.3 McCalla Tannehill Historic Ironworks of the Commission based in these regions Million for 245 Humanities State Park, Alabama are invited to attend the workshops, and if Match: $150,000 [Creating Humanities interested should let the Secretary know. Projects Nationwide Communities Grants] Project Director: Phillip Ratliff Respectfully submitted by Grant Awards Support Local Cultural D.L. Opitz (USA) Organizations, Museums, Archives, Birmingham Industrial Heritage Trail Secretary Colleges And Universities, State The Birmingham Industrial Heritage Trail and a Humanities Councils, And Individual mobile app that will interpret five anchor sites as Scholars well as pathways between the sites through audio International Society for the stories triggered by GPS location. The free app This round of funding, NEH’s third and will also allow users to access historic photos, History of Medicine last for fiscal year 2017, will support vital music, and lengthier oral histories to deepen the The latest issue of the ISHM Newsletter is now research, education, and public programs in knowledge about Birmingham’s industrial past. available. the humanities. These peer-reviewed grants were awarded in addition to $46.1 million Anchorage Alaska Association for Among the news, you will find an update on in annual operating support provided to the Historic Preservation the 46th ISHM Congress (Portugal, 2018), and national network of state and local humanities Match: $60,000 [Creating Humanities information about conferences, calls for papers, councils during fiscal year 2017. “NEH grants Communities Grants] and recent publications relevant to the history ensure that Americans around the country have Project Director: Katherine Ringsmuth of medicine. The countries covered include UK, the opportunity to engage with our shared Cannery History Project Project Italy, France, Chile, USA, Poland, Arab Emirates, cultural heritage,” said NEH Acting Chairman Development of a traveling exhibition and Canada, and Argentina. If your country is Jon Parrish Peede. “From traveling exhibitions companion book on the lifeways and history of missing, please send relevant news to Emanuela and teacher workshops to efforts to preserve the people associated with the Bristol Bay salmon Appetiti ([email protected]) so that it will local history, these projects demonstrate the fishery. be represented in the next issue! power of the humanities to build connections, Inside, you will also find the link to the latest free stimulate discovery, and contribute to vibrant University of California, Los Angeles issue of Vesalius, which presents a selection of the communities.” Outright: $174,314 [Scholarly Editions and Translations] papers presented during the 45th Congress in The following grants (alphabetized by state) may Project Director: Olga Yokoyama Buenos Aires, in September 2016. be of interest to readers of the HSS Newsletter: A New Translation of Russian Intellectual I. P. Pavlov’s Work on Psychology and the History of Science

33 History of Science Society Newsletter • October 2017 History of Science Society Newsletter News from the Profession, cont. Preparation for publication of an English discuss the impacts of scientific and technological Rutgers University, New Brunswick, translation of 67 essays by the Russian change on human life and society. New Jersey psychologist Ivan Pavlov (1849–1936). Outright: $400,000 [Scholarly Editions and Ames, Iowa Iowa State University Translations] Tampa University of South Florida Outright: $63,113 [Collaborative Research] Match: $125,000 Outright: $75,000 [Digital Humanities Project Director: David Miller Project Director: Paul Israel Advancement Grants] Revolutions in the History of Early Modern Papers of Thomas A. Edison Project Director: Steven Jones Philosophy and Science Preparation for publication of volumes 9 and 10 Reconstructing the First Humanities A conference of contributors to The Cambridge of the selected papers of inventor Thomas Edison Computing Center History of Philosophy of the Scientific (1847–1931), covering the period 1888–1892. The digital recreation of the laboratory of Revolution, at which the contributors will refine pioneering digital humanities scholar Father their essays for the volume. SUNY Research Foundation, College Roberto Busa to study the methods used by his at Cortland team in early computational work with scholarly Franklin County, Massachusetts Dean College Outright: $195,406 [Institutes for School Teachers] texts. Project Director: Kevin Sheets Outright: $60,364 [Humanities Initiatives: Bloomington Indiana University, Community Colleges] Common Ground: Americans and Their Land During the Gilded Age and Bloomington, Indiana. Project Director: David Dennis; Jessica Pisano (co- Progressive Era Outright: $330,000 [Scholarly Editions and project director) A two-week workshop for twenty-five Translations] Making Humanities Matter Project Director: Rega Wood schoolteachers using the Adirondacks to explore A two-year faculty and curricular development the interconnection of urban and wilderness Richard Rufus Project project to integrate humanities and science with environments in America from the late- Preparation for print and online publication of experiential learning in history of science courses. nineteenth through early-twentieth-century. 13th-century philosopher Richard Rufus’s In Aristotelis De Anima, Scriptumin Metaphysicam Lansing Michigan Humanities Council CUNY Research Foundation, Graduate Aristotelis, and Oxford Lectures. Outright: $300,000 [Community Conversations] School and University Center Project Director: Joseph Cialdella Indianapolis Indiana Humanities Outright: $65,912 [Scholarly Editions and Third Coast Conversations: Dialogues Translations] Outright: $300,000 [Community Conversations] about Water Project Director: Leah Nahmias Project Director: Romina Padro; Eduardo Barrio Implementation of a series of public programs (co-project director) One State/One Story: Frankenstein across Michigan that would address the historical, Implementation of a statewide, multi-format An Edition of Seminars on the Theory of cultural, and environmental impact of water. Truth by American Philosopher Saul Kripke program that uses the novel Frankenstein to 34 History of Science Society Newsletter • October 2017 History of Science Society Newsletter News from the Profession, cont. Preparation for print publication of a three- Blacksburg Virginia Polytechnic volume edition of the philosopher Saul Kripke’s Institute and State University, Virginia Seminars on the Theory of Truth. Outright: $40,000 [Digital Humanities Advancement Grants] Intrepid Museum Foundation, New York Project Director: Edward Ewing Outright: $126,283 [Institutes for School Teachers] Viral Networks: An Advanced Workshop in Project Director: Lynda Kennedy Digital Humanities and Medical History The Cold War through the Collections of An advanced workshop on incorporating digital the Intrepid Museum humanities tools into medical history research. A two-week institute for twenty-five Preceded by a series of virtual meetings and schoolteachers on the history, experience, and activities, the two-day workshop will be held at legacy of the Cold War through its technology. Just earned your PhD in the National Institutes of Health and will result Janice Nimura, New York in an open-access publication of scholarly essays. the history of science? Outright: $50,400 [Public Scholar Program] Virginia Polytechnic Institute and Congratulations! Here’s a How the Blackwell Sisters Brought State University Women to Medicine—and Medicine to free e-membership to HSS. Outright: $92,494 [Seminars for School Teachers] Women—in 19th-Century America Project Director: Edward Ewing Research and writing leading to publication of Making the transition from the student a dual biography of Elizabeth Blackwell (1821– Flu! The 1918 Spanish Influenza in U.S. and World History world to a post-doctoral existence can 1910) and her sister Emily Blackwell (1826– A three-week seminar for sixteen schoolteachers present challenges. 1910), pioneering women in American medicine. on the history and impact of the 1918 Spanish Salt Lake City Salt Lake Community influenza epidemic, held in Blacksburg, Virginia, The HSS would like to recognize your College, Utah and Washington, D.C. signal achievement by providing a Outright: $189,043 [Institutes for College and free electronic membership (one year) University Teachers] to those who graduated in 2016 or in 2017. Project Director: Melissa Helquist The Book: Material Histories and Digital Please go to https://subfill.uchicago.edu/ Futures JournalPUBS/HSSpromotion.aspx for A four-week institute for twenty-five college and details. university faculty on the history and technologies of the book. 35 History of Science Society Newsletter • October 2017 History of Science Society Newsletter News from the Profession, cont. Doctoral Dissertations in well as partnerships with other institutions and Deirdre Moore scholarly organizations. PhD Candidate in the History of Science at HSTM Harvard University A complete list of fellows is available on the You can view the latest batch of recent doctoral Newberry Consortium in American Indian Newberry website a profile of each dissertations harvested from the issues 77-11 A as well as Studies Graduate Student Fellow and B of Dissertation Abstracts that pertain to Long-Term Fellow. Indigenous Knowledge and Breeding of Cochineal the broad scope of the history of medicine and The Newberry Fellowship program provides Insects in 18th Century Colonial Mexico science at the following URL: http://www.hsls. scholars the opportunity to extensively use our Michelle Navakas pitt.edu/histmed/dissertations. Our thanks to collections in a supportive environment. Often, Jonathan Erlen for his work on this. fellows make exciting finds, develop new Assistant Professor of Literature at Miami interpretations, and deepen their contextual University understandings. Newberry Library-Jack Miller Center Fellow American Philosophical Coral in Early American Literature, Science, and Society Grants and Fellows also participate in a lively community Culture Fellowships of scholars, including other fellows, curators, librarians, and our research centers, focused on Katherine Walker The American Philosophical Society’s grant advancing our understanding of the humanities. PhD Candidate in Literature at the University of and fellowship programs will be of interest to North Carolina at Chapel Hill many HSS members. These include grants for A list of fellows with topics that may be of Newberry Library-American Society for exploration and field research in astrobiology, interest to HSS members appears below. Environmental History Fellow dissertation completion fellowships, and general Reading the Natural and Preternatural Worlds in For further information on the fellowships, grants in all fields. Detailed information about Early Modern Drama the programs can be found on the APS website: contact D. Bradford Hunt, Vice President for www.amphilsoc.org. Research and Academic Programs, The Newberry Grant Recipients Library, [email protected] Arielle Saiber Newberry Library Awards Lawrence H. Kessler Associate Professor of Literature at Bowdoin Postdoctoral Fellow College The Newberry in Chicago, Illinois has Consortium of History of Science, Technology Weiss/Brown Publication Subvention Award announced its Long-Term and Short-Term and Medicine Fellow Computation and Writing in Renaissance Italy Fellowship awards for 2017-18. The awards Planter’s Paradise: Environment, Empire, and support 11 long-term and 46 short-term Hawai‘i’s Sugarcane Plantations fellows, with funds coming from Newberry endowments, grants, gifts, and consortia, as 36 History of Science Society Newsletter • October 2017