Science Studies Network
SSNet brings together faculty and graduate students at the University of Washington who share an interest in Science, Technology and Society Studies (STSS):
- history and philosophy of science;
- social and cultural studies of science and technology;
- ethics, equity and policy issues in the STEM fields.
We sponsor speakers, colloquia, workshops and conferences, and we maintain a calendar of STSS-related events on the University of Washington campuses and in the region. See About SSNet and the Archive / Podcast / Blog links for the details of for the details of past SSNet programs.
Notices for upcoming events are circulated through the SSNet email list and are available on the SSNet Calendar. To join SSNet and receive email notices please fill in the subscription form at the following link: SSNet Mailing List
STSS News
Biological Futures in a Globalized World
The 20th century and first years of the 21st have been characterized by staggering increases in biological knowledge, and by increasing worldwide use of that knowledge to manipulate and build living systems. The global impacts of these developments on our lives and environments are the focus of Biological Futures in a Globalized World (BFGW), a cluster of projects hosted by the Simpson Center for the Humanities in partnership with the Center for Biological Futures (CBF) at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center for two years, 2011-2013.
In the second year of this project (2012-2013),
BFGW initiatives focus on research ethics in the non-medical sciences. They include:
- Research Ethics Curriculum Project: a resource survey and program of curriculum development;
- Research Ethics Pilot Courses: Fall 2012 offerings include Research Ethics Exposed! and a graduate microseminar on Synthetic Biology; for courses in prospect (Winter and Spring 2013) see the BFGW course page
- Colloquium Series: all the presentations in our weekly Fall Quarter pilot course Research Ethics Exposed! are open to the community
- Summer Research Consortium: read about our 2012 Fellows.
For more details about BFGW, check http://depts.washington.edu/uwch/biofutures1011.html or http://tiny.cc/biological-futures
STSS Speakers and Discussion Groups - UW 2011-2012
A great many STSS visitors come to the UW campus each year, and a number of discussion groups meet regularly, sponsored by SSNet members’ home departments and by working groups in related areas. If you have information about any event that might be of interest to SSNet members, be sure to send us the information so we can post the date and details on our calendar, or send a notice directly to the SSNet email list:
SSNet events drop-box
SSNet contact email: ssnet@uw.edu
SSNet distribution list: ssnet_list@uw.edu
Philosophy of Science Discussion Group
The UW Philosophy of Science Group continues its successful bi-weekly meetings this year. Its aim is to support faculty and graduate student research through a mix of readings-based meetings and discussions of work in progress by faculty and graduate students. All interested faculty and graduate students are welcome to join us! Discussion group meetings are scheduled for Wednesdays at 3:30 in Savery 359, three or four times each quarter.
Topics and readings are available on the PhilSci Reading Group GoPost:
https://catalyst.uw.edu/gopost/board/aw26/26063/
To receive regular email notices of Philosophy of Science meetings, please contact:
- Ben Schwartz (bhs3@uw.edu)
- Andrea Woody (awoody@uw.edu)
- John Manchak (manchak@uw.edu)
or check the SSNet calendar for upcoming meetings.
Monday Colloquium in History of Science and STS
Please join us every Monday from 12:30 - 1:20 pm in Smith 306 for the Monday Colloquium in History of Science and STS. The colloquium is an opportunity for scholars in the field to share their work or works-in-progress with their peers in an informal setting. The topics vary significantly, but all fall within the broader purview of science studies. If you're interested in sharing your work, either this quarter or sometime during the year, please contact Antony Adler (adlerant@uw.edu) or Bruce Hevly (bhevly@uw.edu).
FOSEP: Forum on Science, Ethics, and Policy
FOSEP is a multidisciplinary organization of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows hosted by the Graduate School that provides a unique opportunity for dialogue about the impact of science in our world. FOSEP continues to be an exciting and rewarding way of developing leadership skills for us, its graduate student and postdoctoral members. FOSEP also organizes events about the intersection of science and society for other members of the UW and greater Seattle community.
- For news and current events: http://seattle.fosep.org/
Annual Meeting of the Columbia History of Science Group
The Columbia History of Science Group meets every spring at the Friday Harbor Laboratories in the San Juan Islands of Washington. This year the meeting will be held March 8-10, 2013. Registration will open in January, 2013. CHSG is a regional history of science organization that offers a warm, collegial environment to present papers, meet other science studies scholars, and enjoy the comforts and atmosphere of the University of Washington’s marine biological laboratories.
- For more details: https://sites.google.com/site/columbiahistoryofsciencegroup/
Courses and Curriculum in Science, Technology and Society Studies
A founding goal of SSNet is to coordinate and build upon the rich array of courses and programs in science, technology and society studies (STSS) currently offered on all three UW campuses. See the Curriculum Project link for background of these initiatives. Our priority this year is to finalize plans for a graduate Certificate in STSS, and to work with the Biological Futures project developing an inventory of resources available for training in research ethics/research integrity. We also maintain a listing of STSS-relevant courses currently offered at UW. If you're teaching graduate or undergraduate courses in this area and would like to get the word out, please send us a brief description of your current and upcoming courses: click here to add your course to our list.
- For a current listing of STSS-relevant courses: On-line Directory of STSS Courses.
- For program details follow these links:
History and Philosophy of Science - Major (UW Seattle) http://depts.washington.edu/hps/
Science, Technology and Society - Major (UW Bothell)
http://www.uwb.edu/sciencetechsociety
Comparative History of Ideas - Major (UW Seattle)
http://depts.washington.edu/chid/
STSS in the Pacific Northwest
There is tremendous strength in STSS in the Pacific Northwest. The University of British Columbia has recently established an STS Graduate program offering MA and PhD specializations in science and technology studies through the departments of English, History, and Philosophy. For details: http://sts.arts.ubc.ca/
As a UW-based network, SSNet is committed to building on these collective strengths and finding ways to productively link our existing discipline and institution-specific initiatives. We maintain a NW Regional STSS Calendar – so information about all STSS events at universities and colleges in the region is accessible in one place.
- If you’re sponsoring an event – speaker series, conference, workshop – send us the details and we’ll post them on our calendar: submit your event.
- For current and upcoming events: NW Regional STSS Calendar
SSNet Coordinators:
- Alison Wylie (Philosophy and Anthropology): aw26@uw.edu
- Leah Ceccarelli
(Communication): cecc@u.washington.edu
SSNet Steering Committee:
(Click on the Committee Member's name to read a short bio)- Sareeta Amrute (Anthropology, UW-Seattle): amrutes@u.washington.edu
- Kelly Edwards (Bioethics and Humanities, UW-Seattle): edwards@u.washington.edu
- Sarah Elwood (Geography, UW-Seattle): selwood@u.washington.edu
- Stephanie [Malia] Fullerton (Bioethics and Humanities, UW-Seattle): mfllrtn@u.washington.edu
- Angela Ginorio (Women Studies, UW-Seattle): ginorio@u.washington.edu
- Mott Greene (Earth and Space Sciences, UW-Seattle; University of Puget Sound): mgreene@u.washington.edu // greene@pugetsound.edu
- Celia Lowe (Anthropology, UW-Seattle): lowe@u.washington.edu
- Lynn Hankinson Nelson (Philosophy, UW-Seattle): lynnhank@u.washington.edu
- Gwen Ottinger (Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences, UW-Bothell): ottinger@uw.edu
- Margaret Pugh O'Mara (History, UW-Seattle): momara@uw.edu
- Woody Sullivan (Astronomy, UW-Seattle): woody@astro.washington.edu
- Phillip Thurtle (CHID and History, UW-Seattle): thurtle@u.washington.edu
- Matthew Weinstein (Education, UW-Tacoma): mattheww@u.washington.edu
- Andrea Woody (Philosophy, UW-Seattle): awoody@u.washington.edu
SSNet Calendar
Check back in September for Fall events!