Communiqué SOCIÉTÉ CANADIENNE D’HISTOIRE ET DE PHILOSOPHIE DES SCIENCES
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Communiqué SOCIÉTÉ CANADIENNE D’HISTOIRE ET DE PHILOSOPHIE DES SCIENCES CANADIAN SOCIETY FOR THE HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE No 80 Autumn/Automne 2011 The Organism Issue The saga of Simmons draba: how one plant Cancer cells: All dressed up and nowhere to go specimen crossed the Atlantic and back again by Tricia Close-Koenig in search of a name Cancer cells are organisms that divide and grow uncon- by Paul C. Sokoloff and Lynn J. Gillespie trollably, forming malignant tumours and infiltrate the Simmons draba (or as a botanist might write: Draba body. Like other cells, they are invisible to the naked eye simmonsii Elven & Al-Shebaz) is a diminutive member and are translucent through the microscope. They were of the Mustard family – the Brassicaceae –native to the identified in the mid nineteenth century. However, until Canadian Arctic. Distinguished by yellow cross-shaped the early twentieth century, diagnosis and treatment of flowers and a small, slender stature, it has proliferated cancer was largely under the jurisdiction of surgeons, the steadfastly on the tundra since it speciated (split from principal therapeutic being the extirpation of growths its closest relative), botanists have only recognized it as and tumours. Other practitioners and medical institu- a distinct species since 2008. tions were interested neither in cancer, which was incur- able, nor in cancer cells. Albeit, cancer was identified as The type specimen of Simmons draba (that single sam- continued on page 18 ple which best represents a species) was collected by its namesake, Herman Georg Simmons, during the second expedition of the “Fram” - a Norwegian research ves- sel. Captain Otto Sverdrup led Simmons and 16 other intrepid explorers in a four-year journey of exploration into the Canadian Arctic Islands. Pulling anchor in June 1898, the Fram would not return to Norwegian waters until 1902. During this time the Fram circumnavigated Axel Heiberg and Ellef Ringnes Islands (which still retain the Norwegian names given to them by Sverdrup), and much of the coast of Ellesmere Island, Canada’s north- ernmost landmass. Simmons dutifully collected and pressed thousands of plants specimens from this “Elles continued on page 17 2 The Organism Issue Communiqué Continuing the tradition begun last autumn, we’ve or- Newsletter of the ganized this issue around a theme - Organisms - and Société canadienne d’histoire et de philosophie des sci- invited members to contribute stories about the crit- ences/Canadian Society for the History and ters they encounter in their work. Thank you to all Philosophy of Science those who responded to our call for organism-centred stories. We plan for short thematic articles to be an o N 80 ongoing feature of our Autumn newsletter. Autumn/Automne --The editors 2011 www.cshps.ca www.schps.ca Please direct submissions and inquiries to Sofie Lachapelle or Aryn Martin, preferably by email (de- tails below). Please note that submissions should be sent in both official languages. The editors are grateful to York University for assistance in printing and mail- ing costs, and to the University of Guelph for provid- ing the necessary software. Co-editors: Aryn Martin STS Program and Sociology York University [email protected] Musing on Moss (see page 20) sofie lachapelle Department of History issue contents University of Guelph [email protected] CSHPS/SCHPS 2011 Annual Meeting Call for Papers …3-4 CSHPS-SCHPS Executive: Updates on STS/HPS in Canada: Institutions …4-5 President: Kathleen Okruhlik (UWO) Individual Members …5-14 Past-President: Richard Arthur (McMaster) First Vice-President: Lesley Cormack (SFU) Announcements …14-17 Second Vice-President and Corresponding Secretary: Frédéric Bouchard (Université de Organism Stories continued from cover …17-24 Montréal) Secretary-Treasurer: Andrew Reynolds (CBU) Garth Wilson memorial …24-26 3 CSHPS ANNUAL MEETING ciété historique du Canada, l’Association canadienne WATERLOO, ON de philosophie, Société canadienne de sociologie, l’Association canadienne des études sur les femmes, Call for Papers et l’Association canadienne d’études environnemen- ***English follows*** tales. Nous encourageons les propositions de séances La Société canadienne d’histoire et de philosophie des conjointes avec ces sociétés ou d’autres sociétés de la sciences (SCHPS) tiendra son congrès annuel dans le FCSH. Cependant, aucune communication ne peut cadre du Congrès des sciences humaines (FCSH) qui se être présentée à plus d’une société. Adhésion : Tous déroulera sur les campus des universités Wilfrid Lau- les présentateurs doivent être membres de la SCHPS rier et Waterloo du 27 au 29 mai 2012. Le comité de au moment du congrès. Pour plus d’information sur programme invite les soumissions de communications l’adhésion à la SCHPS, consulter le site : http://www. individuelles et les propositions de séance en histoire et yorku.ca/cshps1/index_fr.html Prix étudiant: La philosophie des sciences pour le congrès. SCHPS décerne le prix Richard Hadden, un livre pour le meilleur texte étudiant présenté lors du congrès. Les Soumissions: Afin de préserver l’anonymat des présen- candidats au concours devront envoyer par courriel une tateurs, aucune coordonnée personnelle ne doit être copie de leur article au moins 5 semaines avant le début incluse dans le fichier contenant une proposition de du congrès (c.-à.-d. le 22 avril 2012). Les détails du communication. Les propositions de communica- concours sont disponibles à l’adresse suivante : http:// tion individuelle doivent comprendre un titre, un www.yorku.ca/cshps1/HaddenPrize_fr.html FCSH : résumé (entre 150 et 250 mots) et, dans le courriel Les informations concernant l’inscription et les pos- les accompagnant, les coordonnées de l’auteur. Les sibilities d’hébergement pour le congrès se trouveront propositions de séance doivent comprendre le titre de sur le site web de la FCSH: http://www.fedcan.ca/. la séance, les titres et résumés (entre 150 et 250 mots) Comité de programme (2011-2012): Mélanie Frappier de chaque contribution et, dans le courriel les accom- (Présidente) (University of King’s College) melanie. pagnant, les noms et coordonnées des participants et [email protected] Elizabeth Neswald (Brock Uni- de l’organisateur de la séance. Les propositions doivent versity) [email protected] Robert Hudson (Univer- être soumises dans des fichiers de format MS Word, sity of Saskatchewan) [email protected] pdf, of rtf. Date limite de soumission: 1er février 2012 Courriel pour les soumissions: program.cshps@gmail. * * * * * com Nombre de soumissions : Une personne ne peut The Canadian Society for the History and Philosophy soumettre qu’un résumé de communication (c.-à-d. soit of Science (CSHPS) is holding its annual conference pour une communication individuelle soit pour une as part of the Congress of the Humanities and Social communication faisant partie d’une séance). Sciences (CFHSS) at Wilfrid Laurier University and Langues du congrès : La SCHPS est une société bi- the University of Waterloo, May 27-29, 2012. The lingue. Les communications individuelles peuvent être program committee invites historians and philosophers en français ou en anglais mais les efforts pour faciliter of science to submit abstracts for individual papers or une participation diversifiée sont encouragés (par proposals for sessions. exemple, une communication en français accompagnée d’une présentation PowerPoint en anglais, ou vice- Submissions: In order to preserve the anonymity of versa). De façon similaire, les séances peuvent être en presenters, it is important that contact information and anglais ou en français, mais les sessions bilingues (avec other identifying information be excluded from the certaines présentations en français et d’autres en an- file containing the abstract. Individual paper submis- glais) sont particulièrement appréciées. sions should consist of a title, a brief abstract (150-250 words), and—in the accompanying email—the pre- Séances conjointes : Le congrès de la SCHPS se déroule senter’s name and contact information. Session propos- en même temps que ceux de plusieurs autres sociétés als should consist of a session title, titles and abstracts membres de la FCSH, comme par exemple la So- (150-250 words) for each paper, and—in the accom- 4 panying email—the names and contact information of UPDATES ON STS-HPS IN CANADA the presenters and session organizer. Proposals should be in MS Word, pdf, or rtf files. Deadline: February 1) INSTITUTIONAL UPDATES 1st, 2012. Submission email address: program.cshps@ gmail.com Number of submissions: Individuals can Situating Science Strategic Knowledge Cluster of only submit one abstract for the CSHPS meeting (i.e. scholars in the Humanist and Social Studies of Science either an abstract for an individual communication (www.situsci.ca) and/or abstract part of a session proposal). Now past the midpoint of the seven-year mandate, Situating Science is looking forward to building upon Meeting languages: The CSHPS is a bilingual society. the foundations of sustainable partnerships and projects. Individual communications may be done in English We encourage CSHPS members to utilize the searchable or French, but efforts to broaden participation are Cluster “Network Directory” on our website (www. appreciated (e.g. a presentation in English could be ac- situsci.ca) to find potential collaborators for future companied by a PowerPoint in French, and vice versa). projects. The Cluster plans to apply for further funding Similarly, sessions can be presented in either English to support long term partnerships including research or French, but bilingual sessions (with some papers in and collaboration between Canadian, Indian, Southeast French and others in English) are especially welcome. Asian and Australian experts beyond the December workshop in Manipal, India “Sciences and Narratives of Joint sessions: The CSHPS meeting overlaps with the Nature: East and West”. meeting dates of a number of other member societ- ies of the CFHSS, including the Canadian Historical 2012-13 will mark the last set of Cluster workshops Association, the Canadian Philosophical Association, supported by an annual Call by the Cluster.