STEP - Science and Technology in the European Periphery

Call for Papers:

The Public History of Science and Technology

University of South Carolina
Columbia, SC

September 11-14, 2011

What role does history play in the general public’s
understanding of science and technology?
History is often the tool for hooking audiences and making science
relevant to daily life. From anecdotal introductions to sidebars in science textbooks, history plays an important, but often unexamined role, in explaining science to broad audiences. Most people first encounter the history of science and technology in their K-12 science classes – their only formal science training – even if it is incidental and unrecognized. They continue to encounter the history
of science and technology through a variety of informal venues: museums, libraries, television documentaries, and popular science writing.

The University of South Carolina will host a conference
September 11-14 to address the interaction of history, science, and the public. This conference seeks to
examine: What role does the history of science play in the public’s
understanding of science and technology? What is the role of museums, libraries, television documentaries, and popular writing in educating audiences about science? How can historians
of science and technology best interact with science policy makers? What can university history departments and public history programs do to teach future science popularizers and educators?

The conference will open on Sunday afternoon with a reception and exhibit opening at McKissick Museum. The conference will continue on Monday and Tuesday with traditional paper panels and roundtable discussions. On Wednesday, there will be two half-day workshops. The first, led by Ann Johnson, will focus on histories of emerging technologies, particularly in policy contexts. The second, led
by Allison Marsh, will focus on museums, material culture, and training public historians.

Potential themes to address include:

·History of Science and public policy

·History of scientific education and scientific literacy

·Library collections and the history of science

·Technologies of conservation of museum artifacts

·Opportunities for digital technologies in public
history

·Journalism and writing in the history of science for
the “general,” non-academic audience

·The role of federal government agencies in supporting
the history of science

·The value of internships in training scholars to use
material culture in their research

·How does the history of medicine affect current
decisions about care?

·The place of history in discussions about emerging
technologies in the context of both policy and public understanding

Keynote speakers include:
Robert Bud, The Science Museum, London
Sharon Babaian, Canada Science and Technology Museum
Peter Liebhold, National Museum of American History
Zuoyue Wang, California State University, Pomona

Deadline for Proposals: April 15, 2011

Accepted presenters will be notified by May 10, 2011

Conference organizers will accept both individual paper
proposals and panel proposals. Alternative formats, such as roundtable discussions or object-based interactive discussions, are encouraged.
Proposals should be no more than one page long and should be accompanied by a one page CV. Email proposals
as a single pdf document to Allison Marsh, marsha@mailbox.sc.edu. Please list “PHoST Proposal” in the subject line.

Limited travel support is available for graduate students,
junior, and independent scholars.
If seeking travel funds, please include in your proposal a budget and
justification for your transportation costs. Students must include a brief letter of support from their advisors confirming their status as
graduate students and indicating how the conference will enhance their studies.

Conference papers will be considered for possible
publication as an edited volume.

Conference Organizers: Ann Johnson (annj@sc.edu) and Allison Marsh (marsha@mailbox.sc.edu).

We would also like to draw your attention to the Atlanta
Conference on Science and Innovation Policy, September 15-17, 2011 at Georgia
Tech's Global Learning Center.
Atlanta is only a 3-4 hour drive or short flight from Columbia. For more information about the Atlanta
conference, see their website at www.atlantaconference.org.