Vol. 40, No.3, July 2011
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Notes from the Inside
Let Us Praise Regional Meetings
Quick Links....
Welcome to Cleveland
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Notes from the Inside
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News
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Conferences
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Member News
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In Memoriam
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A National Defense
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The Weisshorn, 1861 – 2011
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Jobs, Conferences, Grants
I recently attended the 54th meeting of the Midwest Junto, held in Lincoln, Nebraska and hosted by David Cahan of the University of Nebraska. Members outside the US (and many in the US) may not be aware of the variety of regional meetings in the history of science. The Midwest Junto represents an early effort to formalize these meetings, although its organizers insisted on informality (dues are $2 US per year and the Treasurer appreciates correct change). Ironically, the Junto, which covers the area defined by the catchment of the Mississippi River Valley (an area of more than 1,245,000 square miles (3,220,000 km2) by some estimates), was formed in response to the difficulty of attending national meetings in the US because of the large distances they involved. The founders wanted a regional presence that would afford them the low-cost alternatives to these national meetings held in first-tier (expensive) cities. That the Junto has survived these 54 years is a testament to that enduring need.
My time in Lincoln reminded me of why I enjoy these regional meetings, and I have been fortunate to attend several other such meetings: the Columbia History of Science Group, which holds its annual conferences at Friday Harbor in the incomparably beautiful San Juan islands of northwest Washington; the Southern Association for the History of Medicine and Science, another long-enduring presence; the relatively new Southern History of Science and Technology Conference, which rotates among southern universities; and the Metropolitan New York Section of the History of Science, which hosts the Joseph H. Hazen Lecture in the history of science, thanks to a bequest from Cynthia Hazen Polsky. I have not had the good fortune of attending the Lone Star History of Science Group meeting, whose only rule seems to be its insistence that it not have any rules, but I hope to visit one day. Nor have I been to the Joint Atlantic Seminar for the History of Biology, which is in its 46th year. I would like to see a resurrection of the West Coast History of Science group and have heard occasional rumors that the Washington DC group may re-form.
What do these regional meetings offer besides the opportunity to meet outside the national meeting? Many things. They provide a forum for graduate students and seasoned scholars to present their research in a relaxed setting. They also feature audiences that are typically several times larger than what one finds at a national meeting: an audience of 50 is common, compared to an American Historical Association session I attended in January where I was one of 12. These audiences also provide a wide-range of experts in the history of science who offer guidance to the presenters during and after the sessions. Evidence that the meetings help is in the form of several HSS presidents who gave their first talk at regional meetings. But most importantly, for me anyway, is that they are fun (especially since I am not organizing them). They provide an opportunity to visit with colleagues, capture the pulse of the profession, and hear interesting papers (I hear more papers at regional meetings than I do at HSS conferences). Such connections are essential to staying in touch with the field. So I encourage you to attend these regional meetings, support them, and contribute your labor to make them even better.
As always, thank you for your membership in the HSS.
- Jay Malone, HSS Executive Director