We all agreed that it is a great idea for undergraduates to attend these meetings. For many of us this was our first opportunity to participate in such a conference. I was excited to meet and interact with professionals and graduate students in the field, and to learn about their research interests. Previously, my only exposure to history of science has been through the faculty members at ASU and through reading. It was beneficial to immerse myself in the community and to get a better idea of the range of subjects that are represented in the field. In addition, I was able to get some extremely valuable information about various graduate programs and to begin constructing a list of those that would most likely be a good fit with my interests. This is the kind of information that is difficult to obtain from the typical graduate program literature.

Others in our group voiced similar reactions to the meeting. Sarah Sytsma expressed enthusiasm about meeting the authors of many books she has read, and she was also excited to meet and talk with a scholar who presented a paper on the same subject as her undergraduate thesis. Matt Shindell and Marie Glitz, both of whom work in the editorial office of the Journal of History of Biology, enjoyed the opportunity to meet a number of people with whom they have communicated and to be able to put faces with the names that have crossed their desks. Farshad Marvasti was able to evaluate more fully his interest in studying history of science while also pursuing a medical degree, and he was able to think more clearly about how to proceed with his education as a result of his conversations. Some students found the paper sessions to be the most memorable part of the trip, and others felt that their most productive time was spent talking with people at meals, receptions, and between sessions. Even our lunch-time and late-night discussions proved to be provocative and educational. The majority of us agreed that our experiences at this meeting provided us with a sense of clarity about our futures-this was of course after several days of recovering from sensory overload.

Many people seemed surprised that undergraduates would want to attend an HSS meeting. Each of us found the experience to be both informative and enjoyable. It gave us a chance to explore different research possibilities, to learn more about graduate programs at a time when most of us are deciding where we want to apply, and finally, to be able to see that the professionals in the field of history of science are a fabulous group of people. This was a very enriching experience, and it is likely that many of us will be returning next year, and for many years to follow.

On behalf of the ASU contingent, I would like to express our gratitude to the Biology and Society program at ASU, and specifically to Jane Maienschein, Ron Rutowski, Jim Strick, and Dean Krahenbuhl of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, for providing us with the opportunity to attend this meeting. We hope that other institutions will follow the example set by Arizona State University and offer opportunities for their serious undergraduates to attend HSS meetings in the future.

Photo Caption: Back row (L to R): Joi Podgorny, Suzanne Poloner, Tami Jackson, Farshad Marvasti, Matt Shindell, Jane Maienschein, Jim Strick, Rick Creath. Front row (L to R): Ann Hibner-Koblitz, Melanie Hunter, Marie Glitz. Not pictured: Sarah Sytsma and Maura Mackowski.

This page last modified: 4 December, 2001