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Newsletter - November 2021
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Disclaimer
You are receiving this newsletter because you have attended the 11ICHC in Trondheim and/or the 12ICHC in Maastricht, and we would like to keep you informed on the activities of the Working Party on the History of Chemistry. If you'd rather not hear from the WPHC anymore, please use the unsubscribe button at the end of the Newsletter.
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Annette Lykknes becoming chair of WPHC
As member of the WP board for many years (eight of them as vice-chair) I have learnt to appreciate the great community the Working Party on History of Chemistry represents.
In particular, I treasure the inclusivity of the community, where scholars from different communities, junior and senior, get together to discuss problems and ideas in the history of chemistry.
As chair I will do my best to continue the tradition started by my predecessors, to make the WP conferences and symposia an attractive place for professional historians of chemistry, chemists and school teachers alike.
I will work to continue to increase our visibility in the EuChemS meetings, perhaps also other chemistry meetings such as the IUPAC congress or the American Chemical Society’s meetings, and initiate collaborative projects with the EuChemS Division for Chemical Education.
And, of course, I will work to increase the presence of our community in history of science meetings such as ESHS and HSS.
I take the opportunity to thank Brigitte Van Tiggelen for being such an excellent chair over the last 8 years, well organized and full of ideas. We thank her for her support to the community, and her efforts to organize interesting and inclusive sessions and events in the history of chemistry. |
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Annual Report of Activities from member societies 2020-2021
The Annual Report of Activities from member societies 2020-2021 is now available. The report includes the activities, seminars, exhibitions, and other relevant information and work done by most of the different member societies of our working party. Despite the pandemic, a large number of activities and events have been organized, which shows the vitality of the discipline, as well as the effort of many delegates and other scholars, and the engagement of the public interested in the history of chemistry.
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Governance Page
All Working Parties and Divisions pages have a new section available since October 2021 : the governance page.
You will find there the name, society and affiliation of the Board, the members of our Working Party and the name and country of observers.
As soon as we will set up Task Group, they will also be listed in this section of our website.
Please do not hesitate to email us if you have any question or modification requests about the information displayed in this page.
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Morris Award 2021
The SHAC Morris Award for 2021 has been given to Ernst Homburg for his outstanding work on the history of the chemical industry. His contributions include major studies on the history of the madder industry; his seminal paper on the early history of industrial R&D laboratories; his comprehensive history of twentieth-century modern chemistry and the chemical industry embedded within a broader history of the Netherlands in Techniek In Nederland in the Twintigste Eeuw. And, particularly (in the context of this award), his “The Era of Diversification and Globalization (1950-2012)” in Solvay: History of a Multinational Family Firm (CUP, 2013), a book he co-edited with Kenneth Bertrams and Nicolas Coupain.
Ernst Homburg has given great service to the history of chemistry community. He edited the Ambix book reviews for ten years; served as a member of SHAC Council for twenty years; chaired the Historical Group of the Dutch Chemical Society for twelve years; was president of the Dutch History of Science Society (GeWiNa) between 1995 and 1998; and chaired the Working Party on the History of Chemistry of the European Association for Chemical and Molecular Sciences for six years up to 2009. He was a Professor in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at the University of Maastricht until his recent retirement.
The Morris Award honours the memory of John and Martha Morris, the late parents of Peter Morris, the former editor of Ambix and recognises scholarly achievement in the History of Modern Chemistry (post-1945) or the History of the Chemical Industry. The next award will take place in 2024. A call for nominations will be circulated in 2023.
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Royal Society of Chemistry Historical Group Newsletter
The RSC Historical Group publishes a twice-yearly newsletter which includes short articles on the history of chemistry, book reviews and reports of the group's meetings and webinars, in addition to news items and information on future events.
The eightieth issue, published in summer 2021, includes articles by Alan Dronsfield and Pete Ellis on Phenacetin; Anne Green on the biochemist, Evelyn Hickmans; and Tony Travis on Raphael Meldola and Photography, plus a meeting report of 'Computational Approaches to the History of Chemistry,' hosted by the Max Planck Institute.
This issue and others dating back to 2010 can be found online here.
As editor, Anna Simmons is keen to expand our readership beyond the group's membership and think Working Party members would find much of interest. The next issue will be out in early 2022.
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Substantia. An International Journal of the History of Chemistry
Substantia is an open access peer-reviewed international journal dedicated to traditional perspectives as well as innovative and synergetic implications in all fields of Chemistry, from current research to historical studies. It is meant to be a crucible for discussions on science, on making science and its outcomes.
To browse the journal, please follow this link: here
Focus and scope
As a truly multidisciplinary journal, Substantia welcomes contributions dealing with the dissemination of advances in Chemistry, but also in other scientific disciplines, and in other horizons of human culture, including society, education, ethics, etc.
We are particularly interested in:
- original contributions offering novel experimental or theoretical insights in Chemistry and related disciplines
- fundamentals implications of chemical theories and related sciences
- the progress of single discoveries, the life of scientists, the historical advancement of technology, in other words, the stories of the people behind breakthroughs and innovations
- the historical overview and critical reviews of chemical theories and their interweaving with the cultural and social environment
- the ethical and philosophical perspectives of Chemistry
- the critical discussion of past concepts and experimental works, in the light of the present chemical knowledge
- contributions on contemporary science reporting and scientific dissemination
- discussions on making science and on the role and efforts of basic research in a world where the practical and financial outcomes seem to be the main driving forces.
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Publish History of Chemistry Texts for ChemTexts, The Textbook Journal of Chemistry from Springer
Editor-in Chief: Fritz Scholz. Topic Editor, History of Chemistry: Annette Lykknes
“ChemTexts” is an online journal that publishes peer-reviewed texts for academic education in chemistry and biochemistry. The principal aim of the journal is to impart contemporary knowledge to students at an exceptionally high didactic level. Typically, each text consists of a self-consistent treatment of a topic which could be part of a textbook. Beyond informative illustrations, the texts may also include supplementary material such as animated presentations or videos.
“ChemTexts” may be used by students for learning, by lecturers for teaching, or by researchers and professionals as a recap of essential knowledge. The preferred style is that of leading textbooks. The pedagogical level of the journal is primarily at the bachelor and master level, but material at the graduate level is also considered.
“ChemTexts” introduces a completely new concept in scientific publishing: the provision of texts for educational purposes that mirror the current state of knowledge. Unlike many textbooks, the chapters are carefully peer-reviewed to guarantee scientific correctness. Only those texts are published which represent genuine improvements over existing textbook material.
If authors provide a translation of their English text in their native language, then Springer will also make that translation available as supplementary material.
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Lives in Chemistry (Lebenswerke in der Chemie) book serie
The Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker (GDCh) is pleased to announce a new book series, “Lives in Chemistry” which was launched in an online event last 7 September 2021, 4-6 pm.
Three ‘laudators’ Florian Budde, Frankfurt, Stefanie Dehnen, Marburg, and Peter Schreiner, Giessen, introduced the authors and read short extracts from their books. The GDCh and the Deutsche Bunsen-Gesellschaft, Frankfurt made the welcome address
The full caption of this event is avaible online : https://l-i-c.org/launch.html (website in German)
About the book series
Lives in Chemistry – Lebenswerke in der Chemie
The series of autobiographies ‘Lives in Chemistry’ provides insights into the lives and thoughts of outstanding scientists in the context of the times they lived in. What role does the continuous sequence of hypothesis, experiment, and interpretation play in top chemical research? What is the role of impulses from mentors, students, colleagues, and competitors? Successful scientists describe authentically and in a very personal way how new discoveries in the natural sciences are made. Two or three books a year are to be published from the wide fields of chemistry and biochemistry.
Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker (GDCh)
With approximately 30,000 members from science, business, and free-lance professions, the GDCh (German Chemical Society) constitutes a large, professionally and socially relevant community. Its more than 150-year-old history, world-wide networks, and high scientific and social standards provide the basis for its creative activities for the benefit of a sustainable world in which life is worth living.
GNT-Verlag
The Verlag für Geschichte der Naturwissenschaften und der Technik (Publishers for the History of Natural Sciences and Technology) has dedicated itself to the history of chemistry for over 30 years. Its most recent publications in this regard are on modern chemistry of the atmosphere and new biographic aspects about Otto Hahn.
Press contact
Ralf Hahn, rhahn@l-i-c.org
GNT-Verlag GmbH
Lasiuszeile 2, 13585 Berlin
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