History of Science Society’S Most Valued Functions

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History of Science Society’S Most Valued Functions ISSN 0739-4934 Newsletter HISTORY OF SCIENCE VOLUME 35 NUMBER 3 July 2006 SOCIETY Force Equals Mass Times Acceleration: What You Think: HSS Publications and Services Give This Great Body a Push rants for graduate student travel, on-line access to a bibliographical data base, Gthe new “Focus” sections in Isis, and a responsive Executive Office - these are among the History of Science Society’s most valued functions. According to a recent survey, members want HSS core functions, such as our publications and the annu- al meeting, kept in orbit, and new ones launched. You have, for example, conveyed to us ideas for supporting new-comers to the field, speaking more accessibly and meaningfully to each other and to those outside the discipline, and fulfilling the potential of our international character. The enthusiasm manifested for the field and the Society, along with the profusion of positive suggestions for the future, assured a delighted Executive Committee that HSS has the commitment and ener- gy to enhance significantly what it does for its members and the history of science. The online survey is one way individual members are participating in shap- ing the future of the Society and the discipline. Many thanks to those who partic- ipated. (To those who did not, you will have a second chance when the Committee Reading the HSS Survey on Research and the Profession produces a more detailed survey.) We will be using the survey results, along with deliberations by the Council and various commit- he recent survey of HSS members represents an ongoing conversation. tees, as the basis for imagining the future of HSS. In the coming months we will TResponses not only give us vital information about you, your experiences draw up a list of ambitious but practical goals and a set of plans for achieving with the Society also give us a measure of how well we are doing our jobs. them. For example, should we be promoting more dialogue among our sub-dis- The many thoughtful suggestions and ideas show the commitment of our ciplines or with our sister disciplines? If so, how? members to making the Society as useful and responsive as possible to its The impetus (forgive the medieval physics) for enhancing the ways we serve members and to the wider community. the discipline and our members must come first and foremost from you, in the Members rate our flagship journal, Isis, highly. More than 85% of respon- form of ideas, participation, and financial support. NEH is ready to give us dents rate it as good or excellent. Comments showed that the book-review sec- $125,000 toward endowing the work that goes into the Current Bibliography and tion is especially valuable to members. Broad questions about who we are and the electronic data base – but only if we chip in ourselves (to donate go to what we want to be as a Society filled the comments section, not only on Isis, http://www.hssonline.org). It’s not all about money, of course. If we decide we but also on the rest of our publications and the annual meeting. want news media or textbook publishers or political leaders to appreciate the sig- (Continued on page 20) nificance of the history of science, some of us will need to commit ourselves to making our research accessible to them. Contents In short, if the History of Science Society is to exert force – to serve its mem- News and Inquiries 3 Preliminary Program (Insert) I-X bers, to advance scholarship in the field, and, more generally, to foster interest in Behind the Scenes: Future Meetings 11 the history of science and its social and cultural relations – we need to decide on Stephen Weldon 7 Dissertations 12 a direction and give it a push. I am delighted to announce that Marc Rothenberg, Awards, Honors, Isis Books Received 13 who, after a decade of service to HSS as Treasurer, will be stepping down from that and Appointments 8 Bucculentus Revisited 16 role, has agreed to lead us in this undertaking. The new campaign for the history Jobs 9 NEH Donors 18 of science will enable us to meet the goals we define. Please join in the effort. Grants, Fellowships, and Prizes 9 History of Science in Bulgaria 19 HSS Conference Election Results 22 – Joan Cadden, HSS President Registration Form 10 History of Science Society Newsletter July 2006 The American History of Science Society Executive Office Philosophical Society Library Postal Address Physical Address PO Box 117360 3310 Turlington Hall University of Florida University of Florida Library Residentnt Gainesville, FL 32611-7360 Gainesville, FL 32611 Research Fellowships Phone: 352-392-1677 Fax: 352-392-2795 The American Philosophical Society Library offers E-mail: [email protected] short-term residential fellowships for conducting research Web site: http://www.hssonline.org/ in its collections. The Society’s Library is a leading interna- tional center for historical and anthropological research Subscription Inquiries: ISIS and HSS Newsletter with over 8 million manuscripts, 250,000 printed volumes, Please contact the University of Chicago Press directly, at: and thousands of maps and prints. Among its more [email protected]; 877-705-1878/877-705-1879 prominent collections are the papers of Benjamin Franklin, (phone/fax), toll free for U.S. and Canada. Charles Darwin, Charles Davenport, and Franz Boas; and Or write University of Chicago Press, Subscription is noted for the depth and importance of its collections in: Fulfillment Manager, PO Box 37005, Chicago, IL History of science, technology, and medicine; 60637-7363. Anthropology, particularly American Indian history, cul- ture, and languages; Early American history and culture to Moving? 1840. The Library does not hold materials on philosophy in the modern sense. Please notify both the HSS Executive Office and the The fellowships, funded by a number of generous University of Chicago Press at the above addresses. benefactors, are intended to encourage research in the Library's collections by scholars who reside beyond a 75- mile radius of Philadelphia. The fellowships are open to HSS Newsletter both U.S. citizens and foreign nationals who are holders of the Ph.D. or the equivalent, Ph.D. candidates who have Editorial Policies, Advertising, and Submissions passed their preliminary examinations, and independent scholars. Applicants in any relevant field of scholarship The History of Science Society Newsletter is published in January, April, may apply. July, and October, and sent to all individual members of the Society; those The stipend is $2,000 per month, and the term of the who reside outside of North America pay an additional $5 annually to cover fellowship is a minimum of one month and a maximum of a portion of airmail charges. The Newsletter is available to nonmembers three. Fellowships are usually of one month in duration, and institutions for $25 a year. and seldom exceed two months. Fellows are expected to The Newsletter is edited and desktop published in the Executive Office on an be in residence at the Library for four to twelve consecu- Apple system using Microsoft Word and Quark. The format and editorial policies tive weeks, depending upon the length of their award. are determined by the Executive Director in consultation with the Committee on Complete application information and forms are avail- Publications and the Society Editor. All advertising copy must be submitted in able at our website: http://www.amphilsoc.org/ electronic form. Advertisements are accepted on a space-available basis only, and grants/resident.htm. The receipt deadline is March 1, 2007. the Society reserves the right not to accept a submission. The rates are as follows: Full page (9 x 7.5”), $400; Horizontal or Vertical Half page (4.5 x 7.5”), $220; Quarter page (3 x 5”), $110. The deadline for insertion orders and camera-ready copy is six weeks prior to the month of publication (e.g., 20 November for the Address applications or inquiries to: January Newsletter) and should be sent to the attention of the HSS Executive Library Resident Research Fellowships Office at the above address. The deadline for news, announcements, and job/fel- American Philosophical Society Library lowship/ prize listings is firm: The first of the month prior to the month of pub- 105 South Fifth St., Philadelphia, PA 19106-3386. lication. Long items (feature stories) should be submitted six weeks prior to the Telephone: (215) 440-3400. month of publication as e-mail file attachments or on a 3.5” disk (along with a For information on this and other fellowship hard copy). Please send all material to the attention of Michal Meyer at the HSS opportunities, visit our web site: address above (e-mail or disk appreciated). http://www.amphilsoc.org © 2006 by the History of Science Society 2 History of Science Society Newsletter July 2006 News and Inquiries Beijing Congress: General Assembly Summary of Activities, 27, 29 July 2005: Commission Presidents Creation of the “World History of Science Online: Databases of Bibliographic Ancient and Medieval Astronomy: S.M. Women in Science: Annette Vogt and Archival Sources” (WHSO) in collaboration with the President of the Razaullah Ansari ICOHTEC: Hans J. Braun Commission on Bibliography and Documentation. For further information: Bibliography and Documentation: Peter IASCUD: Wesley Stevens www.dhs-whso.org. Harper History of Astronomy C41/ ICHA (with Updating of DHS Bylaws: The word “Technology” was added to the name of East Asia: Christopher Cullen IAU): Alexander Gurshtein the Division in order to recognize the importance and professional value of the Islamic Civilization: Jamil Ragep History of Geography (with IGU): Hector history of technology. The DHST Council acknowledged the need to include Meteorology: Cornelia Ludecke Mendoza gender balance and cultural diversity amongst the members.
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