| Oregon State University | Dr. Ronald E. Doel |
| HSTS 514 [general resources found here] | 302C Milam Hall; tel. 737-3469 |
| Seminar meeting: to be arranged | Office hours: 11-12 noon Friday, or by appointment |
| Fall 2007 | Best email: doelr@geo.oregonstate.edu |
| Undergraduate lecture: 0800-0920 Mondays and Wednesdays, 320 Bexell Hall | Related link: Resources for Historians |
| Week 7 discussion: Steve Brush, "Should the History of Science be Rated X?" | Web: http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/hsts414/doel [grad seminar link upper right] |
History of Modern American Science
Our graduate seminar will address the major themes of twentieth century science, focusing on the experiences of
researchers in the United States. Our aim will be to address the history of scientific research within its intellectual,
political, social, and cultural contexts. Students will gain historical perspectives on the development of modern
U.S. science, insights into evaluating historical evidence, and appreciation for the interplay between science
and technology in this period.
Seminar participants shall complete all reading assignments for the undergraduate lecture course HSTS 414 (undergraduate
lectures are held 0800-0920 Mondays and Wednesdays, 320 Bexell
Hall). Seminar members will also attend the undergraduate class and be prepared to discuss readings and
lecture themes in seminar; members will lead discussions of the readings and encourage questions and discussions
from fellow participants.
For this seminar, participants will read (in addition to the undergraduate reading assignments):
Numbers, Ronald L. and Charles E. Rosenberg, eds. The Scientific Enterprise in America: Readings from Isis. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1996). [Paperback; available at the university bookstore in the Memorial Union]
Requirements: In addition to seminar participation, the main focus for graduate seminar participants
will be the research paper, which ought not exceed fifteen to twenty pages in length. Seminar
members will also take part in all undergraduate classroom discussions and demonstrate familiarity with the themes
and contents of the undergraduate lectures and readings; the graduate research paper will be undertaken in place
of the undergraduate midterm and final examinations.
Reading schedule:
Week 1 [week of September 24]: Rosenberg, "Science in American Society: A
Generation of Historical Debate, with a Headnote and Afterword," pp. 2-20. [Will be briefly discussed in
Week 2.]
Week 2 [October 1]: Kohler, "The Ph.D. Machine: Building on the Collegiate Base,"
pp. 98-122
Week 3 [October 8]: Rossiter, "Women's Work in Science, 1880-1910," pp. 123-158
Week 4 [October 15]: Servos, "Mathematics and the Physical Sciences in America, 880-1930,"
pp. 141-159
Week 5 [October 22]: Pauly, "The Development of High School Biology: New York City,
1900-1925." pp. 160-186
Week 6 [October 29]: Wise, "Ionists in Industry: Physical Chemistry at General Electric,
1900-1915," pp. 187-202
Week 7 [November 5]: Mitman, "Cinematic Nature: Hollywood Technology, Popular Culture,
and the American Museum of Natural History," pp. 203-227
==> see note on optional Brush reading, noted above
Week 8 [November 12]: Lederer, "Political Animals: The Shaping of Biomedical Research
Literature in Twentieth-Century America," pp. 228-246
Week 9 [November 19]: Please read one of the following:
Owens, "MIT and the Federal Angel:' Academic R&D and Federal-Private Cooperation Before World War II,"
pp. 247-272
Goldberg, "Inventing a Climate of Opinion: Vannevar Bush and the Decision to Build the Bomb," pp. 273-296
Week 10 [November 26]: Please read one of the following:
| Kevles, "The National Science Foundation and the Debate Over Postwar Research Policy, 1942-1945: A Political Interpretation of Science The Endless Frontier, pp. 273-296 |
Last revised: 27 September 2007