Project Summary

WHAT
Created in 2007 with the generous funding of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada Strategic Knowledge Cluster grant, Situating Science is a seven-year project promoting communication and collaboration among humanists and social scientists that are engaged in the study of science and technology.

See our lists of developed programs of study at Nodes, past workshops and conferences and partners below, in addition to the abridged Midterm Report to SSHRC (done in 2011) and detailed description, event posters, and newsletters in the "Documents" section below.

We are committed to facilitating contact not only with leading Canadian and international scholars in these areas, but also with working scientists, journalists, and policy makers interested in the broader social and cultural significance of science and technology within the public, private, and natural spheres. A central goal of our project is the establishment of long-term stable foundations of encounter between humanistic scholars of science and the various publics in Canada.

Situating Science cultivates and supports a network of engaged scholars (see our Network Nodes and Network Directory). Reaching out to its stakeholder communities we continue to find opportunities for collaboration, sponsoring and co-sponsoring events from workshops to exhibitions to science studies cafes.

WHY
Our world is shaped by science and technology. This fact is a source of both social hope and anxiety. In light of this, there must be expert voices not only from within the natural, formal and applied science communities, but also from those in the humanities and social sciences who study the practice and the historical and conceptual development of the sciences.

HOW
Situating Science represents the first coordinated effort in targeted knowledge exchange and partnership creation in the study of science and technology in Canada.

Situating Science explores a set of four interrelated themes through networking, conferences, workshops, lecture series, and other activities. These themes are:

1 - Historical Epistemology and Ontology
2 - Material Culture and Scientific/Technological Practices
3 - Scientific Communication and its Publics
4 - Geography and Sites of Knowing

Reaching beyond disciplinary boundaries, Situating Science enrolls local and national partners in the public, media, academic, fine arts, museum, government and policy studies spheres to address the crucial topic of the place of science and technology in our modern world.

WHO
We operate on a hub and spoke model of six nodes spread across the country.

The Nodes are based at/in:

University of British Columbia,
University of Alberta,
University of Saskatchewan,
Toronto - York University-University of Toronto,
McGill University and Université du Québec à Montréal
Atlantic Canada - University of King’s College-Dalhousie University

The Nodes are supported by a centre at the University of King’s College in Halifax, NS

PROJECT COORDINATOR
Emily Tector

PROJECT DIRECTOR
Dr. Gordon McOuat

CO-APPLICANT AT LARGE
Dr. Lesley Cormack

POST-DOCS
We hired several post-doctoral fellows over 7 years. They include:

Georgy Levit, U. King's
Cindy Stelmackowich, Dal/U. King's
Jean-Louis Trudel, UQAM
Sébastien Mosbah-Natanson, UQAM
Jonathan Tsou, UBC
Flavia Padovani, UBC
Alex Choby, U. Alberta
Katherine Zwicker, U. Sask.
Melinda Baldwin, York U.

STUDENTS
We hired several students over 7 years. They include but are not limited to:
Mitchell Cohen, King's
Megan Dean, Dal/King's
Paul Armstrong, Dal
Jasmine Smart, Dal
Samantha Copeland, Dal
Sharon Woodhill, Dal

Danielle Hallet, UBC
Steve Maye, UBC

J. Marc MacDonald, U. Sask.

Richard Spiegel, McGill
Anna Dysert, McGill
Margaret Carlyle, McGill

PROGRAMS OF STUDY
An indicator of the success of the Cluster is the establishment of programs in the field at various Nodes:
University of Saskatchewan Minor Undergraduate Program in the History of Science and Medicine
York University Institute for Science and Technology Studies (iSTS), established in 2010
UBC STS Graduate Program, established in 2012
Atlantic Node (in process)

CONFERENCES
2008-09:
"La Grande Rencontre" (Nov. 2008, UQAM) Theme: Science Communication and its Publics
2010-11:
"Objectivity in Science" (June 2010, UBC) Theme: Historical Epistemology and Ontology
2013-14:
"Materiality: Objects and Idioms in Historical Studies of Science and Technology" (May 3-4, 2013, York U.) Theme: Material Culture and Scientific/ Technological Practices
"Science and Society Symposium" (Fall 2013). Theme: Science Communication and its Publics.

WORKSHOPS
2008-9:
"Critical Debates in Evidence-Based Medicine: Where We’ve Been and Where We’re Going" (Nov 2008, UofT) Theme: Historical Epistemology and Ontology
"Varieties of Empathy" (Oct 2009, UBC) Theme: Historical Epistemology and Ontology

2009:
"Reassessing Governance of Clinical Trials: Preventing Real World Risks at the Gates" (March 2009, Dalhousie U.) Theme: Material Culture and Scientific/ Technological Practices
"Reading Artifacts Summer Institute" (Aug 2009, CSTM) Theme: Material Culture and Scientific/ Technological Practices
"Health Legacies: Militarization, Health and Society" (Sept. 2009, UofA) Theme: Material Culture and Scientific/ Technological Practices
"Current Issues in Darwinian Theory" (Oct 2009, Dalhousie U.) Theme: Historical Epistemology and Ontology

2010:
"Scientific Models and Simulations" (May 2010, UofT) Theme: Material Culture and Scientific/ Technological Practices
"Science without Data: The Role of Thought Experiments" (June 2010, Dalhousie U.) Theme: Historical Epistemology and Ontology
"Circulating Knowledge, East and West" (July 2010, U.King's College) Theme: Geographies and Sites of Knowing. SSHRC IOF grant, invitational
"Maker's Universe: Science, Art and Instruments in Early Modern Europe" (Sept. 2010, McGill U.) Theme: Material Culture and Scientific/ Technological Practices

2011-12:
"Intersections: New Approaches to Science and Technology in 20th C. China and India" (April 2011, York U.) Theme: Geography and Sites of Knowing
"Scientific Authority in Democratic Societies" (June 2011, UBC) Theme: Science Communication and its Publics
"Politics of Care in Technoscience" (April 2012, York U.) Theme: Historical Epistemology and Ontology
"Sciences and Narratives of Nature: East and West" (Dec 2011, Manipal, India) Theme: Geographies and Sites of Knowing. SSHRC Aid grant.

2012-13:
"Bodies in Motion: Translating Early Modern Science" ( March 22-23, 2013, UBC) Theme: Geographies and Sites of Knowing
"Where is the Laboratory now? “Representation”, “Intervention” and “Realism” in 19th and 20th Century Biomedical Sciences" (June 7-8 2013, U. Calg.) Theme: Historical Epistemology and Ontology + Material Culture and Scientific/ Technological Practices

NODE WORKSHOPS AND SALONS OF NOTE:
"Technoscience Salon" UofT, ongoing
"Situating Early Modern Science Networks" Diefenbaker Centre. USask April 13 and 14, 2012
"Revisiting Evolutionary Naturalism: New Perspectives on Victorian Science and Culture" York University May 6 – 7, 2011
"Earth Science, Global Science" York University Sept. 30-Oct. 2, 2010
"Human Experimentation, 1715-1972" USask Oct. 23, 2009
"Envisioning Science: Imaging the Body" UofA Sept 10-11, 2010
"The Uses of Humans in Experiments" USask October 3, 2008
"Imagining Reproduction in Science and History" USask October 19-21, 2007
"Putting Region in Its Place: An Interdisciplinary Conference on Health, Healing and Place" UofA, Oct, 2007

VISITING SCHOLARS, WORKS-IN-PROGRESS AND MORE:
Browse our "Events" heading

PARTNERS FOR CLUSTER EVENTS

Our international partners and sponsors include: [in process]
Manipal University, University of New South Wales, Indian Council of Philosophical Research, University of Leeds, International Society for the History of Philosophy of Science (HOPOS), Australian Council for the Arts; American Institute of Archeology; History of Science Society (HSS)

Via U. of Alberta events:
The International Society for the History of Behavioral and Social Sciences (Cheiron) and International Society for the History of Neurosciences (ISHN);

Via UQAM events:
Université de Paris-Sorbonne; Société de philosophie des sciences; Rationalités contemporaines (Paris 4); Logiques de l'agir (Univ. de Franche-Comté); Institut d'histoire et de philosophie des sciences et des techniques; Centre d'EPistémologie et ERgologie Comparatives (CEPERC)

Our national partners and sponsors include: [in process]
SSHRC; Canada Science and Technology Museum, Canadian Centre for Ethics in Public Affairs, Canadian Institute for the Advancement of Research (CIFAR), Institute for Science, Society and Policy (ISSP, U. of Ottawa), Science Media Centre of Canada (SMCC), Genome Canada (Genome Atlantic, Genome BC, Genome Alberta) Professional Institute of Public Service in Canada (PIPSC, in process), Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute, Canadian Science Policy Conference (CSPC); Canadian Business Ethics Research Network; Canada Centre for Architecture

Health Canada; Can. Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health;

Our regional partners and sponsors include: [in process - see Node pages in interim]

Atlantic Node:
Nova Scotia Institute for Science (NSIS), Nova Scotia Health Research Foundation, Atlantic Region Philosophers Association, Evolution Studies Group (CIFAR), Halifax Independent Filmmaker's Festival and Atlantic Filmmaker's Cooperative; Animal Studies Group (inter-disciplinary), Atlantic Region Philosopher's Association (ARPA), International Society for the History of Philosophy of Science (HOPOS), novaknowledge, Global Halifax Inc., Quantum Communications, Maritime Museum of the Atlantic; NS Dept. of Health; Health Canada; Can. Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health; Nova Scotia Dept. Culture, Heritage and Tourism; Wit's End Theatre; The Royal Society of Canada Open Academy; Dalhousie University Faculty of Medicine, Humanities-HEALS Program;

University of King's College: School of Journalism, History of Science and Technology, Contemporary Studies Programs, Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies, President's Office, History of Science and Technology Society, Foreign Film Society; Race Lecture Series, Early Modern Studies Program;

Dalhousie University: Sociology and Social Anthropology, Philosophy, History, Novel Tech Ethics, College of Pharmacy, International Development Studies, Health Law Institute, Dal. Faculty of Med.; Bioethics; Faculty of Science; Killam Memorial Library Special Collections; VP Research Office; Dean of Arts and Social Sciences; Dean, Architecture and Planning;

Mount St. Vincent University
Saint Mary's University: Philosophy, Faculty of Science

Montreal Node:
McGill University: Making Publics Project, English, History and Philosophy of Science program, Department of Social Studies of Medicine, Institute for Islamic Studies, Department of Art History and Communication Studies, Media@McGill, and the Wolfe Chair in Scientific and Technological Literacy; MacDonald Stewart Foundation; Universities of Minnesota; University of Toronto; University of Sydney; McGill School of Environment; Global Environmental and Climate Change Centre; McGill Beatty Lecture Fund; Institute for Public Life of Arts and Ideas; McGill Mossman endowment; French Atlantic History Group;Institute for Health and Social Policy; Indian Ocean World Centre;

UQAM: Institut du nouveau monde, CIRST, Ministère du Développement économique, de l’Innovation et de l’Exportation (MDEIE), CRSNG (NSERC), CRSH (SSHRC), Desjardins. Jardin botanique, La Presse, Téléquébec, UNESCO. Conseil de la science et de la technologie. Fonds recherche du Québec, Association francophone pour le savoir (Acfas); Fac. Sciences Humaines; Chaire de recherche du Canada en philosophie de la logique et des mathématiques; Chaire de recherche du Canada en histoire et sociologie des sciences; Société Canadienne d'Histoire et Philosophie des Sciences;

Toronto Node:
Canadian Institutes for Health Research; Canadian Health Services Research Foundation Meetings and Dissemination grant

University of Toronto: Neuroscience Program; Joint Centre for Bioethics; Institute for History and Philosophy of Science and Technology; Connaught Support for International Symposia/Colloquia; Primary Care Research Unit, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre; Health Care, Technology and Place Program; Department of Philosophy; Department of Public Health Sciences; Department of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation; Office of the Vice President, Research; Victoria College; Women and Gender Studies; History; Technoscience Research Unit; Subtle Technologies.

York University: Division of Humanities; Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies; Office of the Vice President Research and Innovation; Institute for Science and Technology Studies; Anthropology Department; and Communication Studies, (Royal Institution of Great Britain, Pickering and Chatto Publishers (London), and Montana State University for PDG); Natural Science Dept.; Dean of Science and Engineering; Dean of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies; Metalab; Mellon Foundation Grant;

Queen's University

University of Ottawa: Research Services

U. Saskatchewan Node:
University of Saskatchewan: The College of Arts and Science; The Division of Humanities and Fine Arts, the Department of History; History of Medicine Seminars; Dept. Psychiatry; Medical College; Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan; Canada Research Chair for the History of Medicine

University of Alberta Node:
The International Society for the History of Behavioral and Social Sciences (Cheiron); International Society for the History of Neurosciences (ISHN); Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research; Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan; Dept. Psychiatry, U of Sask. Medical College; Exposure: Edmonton’s Queer Arts & Culture Festival;

University of Alberta: Science, Technology and Society program; Provost Office; Faculty of Arts; Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry; UofA Killam; U. Alberta Distinguished Visiting Speaker Fund; UofA Conference Fund; Department of Arts; Alberta Inst. American Studies; History and Classics; Philosophy; English and Film Studies; Sociology;

University of Calgary: History; Philosophy and Studies of Science, Technology and Medicine (HPSSTM); University of Calgary Science, Technology, Environment and Medicine Studies Colloquium; Anthropology; Philosophy; Faculty of Arts;

UBC Node:
Simon Fraser University: Philosophy; Institute for Values in Science (ViPS)

UBC: Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies, Centre for the Study of Democratic Institutions, Department of Political Science, W. Maurice Young Centre for Applied Ethics; CFIS; Philosophy; English; History; Green College; VP Academic; Dean of Arts; Jane Rule Endowment for the Study of Human Relationships; Dept. Film, Theatre and Creative Writing, Art History and English;

Videos and Podcasts of past events are available via the "Videos, Publications, etc" heading.