CFP: SIC_sümpoosiumi_kutse
We
are delighted to announce that next symposium of Scientific
Instruments Commission will be held at the University of Tartu
History Museum, Estonia, 25-29 August 2014. The Scientific Instrument
Commission is a constituent organization of the International Union of the
History and Philosophy of Science (IUHPS). It seeks to encourage scholarly
research on the history of scientific instruments, and the preservation and
documentation of collections of instruments, as well as their use within the
wider discipline of the history of science.
This is a
wonderful opportunity to explore the many activities undertaken recently for
the protection of the scientific heritage of the University and the surrounding
region. The historical observatory with its famed Fraunhofer refractor was
refurbished and re-opened, and work is now being done on the instrument
collections and anatomical theater. Rather helpfully, all of the University
collections are situated in a compact area reachable by foot and ample meeting
space will be available for the Symposium sessions within University buildings.
Nearby are also sites relating to the meridian arc established by Struve, now
on the UNESCO World Heritage List, as well as several other collections and
historic sites that could be visited on an excursion – for example, Tallinn.
The date for the
symposium has now been set for Monday, 25 August to Friday, 29 August with
subsequent excursions to places further away currently under discussion. This
date was chosen for the following reasons:
1) In an
attempt to keep costs down: Before 1 September cheap accommodation (for example
in student housing) will be available from about €20 upwards - clearly a very
attractive option.
2) To permit
more participants to take part, especially those coming from overseas who have
frequently told us in the past that they were unable to attend if the symposium
was scheduled after 1 September.
3) To enable
those who whish to do so to attend other relevant meetings before and after,
namely
a)
the Baltic Conference for the History of Science taking place the week before
(21-23 August) in Helsinki (Finland)
b) the meetings of History of Physics and of the European Society for the
History of Science the week afterward (4-5/6 Sept.) in Cambridge (UK) resp.
Lisbon (Portugal)
4) To avoid
certain religious holidays.
The topic of
this meeting will be New Views on Old Instruments (working title!), with the
potential to include sections such as:
- New analytic
methods
- New ways of
public engagement with instruments
- New political
aims (for example UNESCO recognition for material heritage)
- New challenges
posed through (mostly, but not exclusively) post-war scientific instruments
(conservation, selection, issues of storage or preservation in situ,
documentation etc.)
- New networks
emerging
- Newly revealed
sources
We will soon be
announcing further details, but please save the date now. If you have never
attended a symposium before be assured that the SIC is a very friendly and
welcoming group with no formal membership. All will be welcome - and the more
participants we have the easier it will be to raise further funds and to help
keep costs down!
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Informal
pre-registration: To enable Dr. Lea Leppik and her colleagues to begin
applying for grants, please send an e-mail to Janet Laidla on Janet.Laidla@ut.ee with the
simple (non-binding) sentence 'I intend to participate ...' by Monday, 28
October.
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With best
wishes,
Silke Ackermann
President SIC,
on behalf of the Board