STEP - Science and Technology in the European Periphery

We are happy to announce that the Cabinet of Astronomy and Physics in Kassel, Germany will host the XXX symposium of the Scientific Instruments Commission.

You will find all informations as well as how to register on: www.museum-kassel.de/sic2011
Please find the abstract below:

Instruments, Texts, and Images
Call for Papers: XXX Scientific Instrument Symposium
September 19-24, 2011
Kassel, Germany

Putting objects into a cultural context is not a new approach in our field – scholars have juxtaposed instruments, images and texts in many different ways for many years. In this meeting we want to go one step further to examine the interrelations of these three kinds of sources more closely. More provocatively phrased, we want to dive into what might be called the Bermuda Triangle of instruments, texts, and images. How can texts and images help us navigate through stormy historic waters so as to come to understand what an instrument meant in its original setting and how this meaning may have changed over time? How does identifying the sometimes conflicting roles of the crew – instrument-makers, authors, and illustrators – help us keep our analytic bearings? How can we avoid going astray in attempting to reconstruct individual instruments and their actual use when there is an asymmetry between surviving material and written sources, or when only documents and/or images survive? And where do such intangibles as craftsmanship, tacit knowledge, and experience fit in to this tropical brew?

Abstracts should not exceed 1 page for single talks and 1.5 pages for sessions. The abstract form can be found on the conference's homepage.
Time per talk will be 20 minutes.

As always, presentations on other topics relating to scientific instruments will be welcome.

The organizing committee will carefully consider suggestions for individual papers and for thematic sections.

Please note: the organizers have managed to secure additional funds to allow two postgraduate students or young researchers to attend the symposium. The grant will cover registration fees and hotel accommodation. To apply, please send a short description of your background and your interests to sic2011@museum-kassel.de by June 1st, in addition to the title and abstract of your proposed talk. Decisions will be taken by the Scientific Committee by mid-June.