International Conference on Early Chemistry, Summer 2006, Philadelphia.

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Project Summary : A large international conference (ca. 80 attendees) on alchemy and early chemistry is proposed for Summer 2006. The conference will last three days, and include 22-27 presented papers, a roundtable discussion, and time for study in the related collections at the conference site. The last such conference was held in 1989 (Groningen) and since then the field has seen explosive growth, significant changes to fundamental assumptions about the subject, and heightened interest on the part of scholars in many fields. Thus the time is right for a major new conference, one that will the evaluate recent studies and their intellectual impact, map out future studies by identifying crucial topics for development, and foster international , inter-institutional, and interdisciplinary collaborations. The Chemical Heritage Foundation in Philadelphia will host the event, manage all local arrangements, and provide ca. 75%of the funding (see letter of support). NSF support is sought for travel and accommodation grants for fifteen junior scholars. A key aspect of the conference is to identify and invite such promising younger scholars and to help them build collaborative bridges with each other and with senior scholars. A tangible product of the conference will be a volume of papers valuable to a broad audience, and covering the current state of the field, recent studies, and approaches to outstanding critical issues. The CHF has committed to publishing the volume. .Intellectual merit: In the last 25 years, alchemy has moved from the questionable fringes of the history of science to a central position. its impact on the established sciences is being demonstrated, and its content is now being taken seriously. But there remains considerable work to complete in order fully to appreciate the role of alchemy/chymistry in early modern science and culture. This conference will be a place for essentially all of the prominent and promising scholars currently active in the field to share ideas, outlooks, and talents, begin collaborations, and organize themselves for at least the decade ahead in terms of identifying critical issues and approaches. The proposed venue also holds some of the most important collections in the world of materials directly relating to alchemy, which will be made available to attendees. Broader Impacts: The topic of the conference has become a truly interdisciplinary endeavor, and will involve and impact scholars in not only history of science and technology, but also sociology, history of art, literature, and cultural studies. A key aspect of this conference is to involve and train younger scholars from around the world, by giving them a place to express their findings and viewpoints, and to create international links both among themselves and with senior scholars. The conference volume as well will be a venue for younger scholars to present their work, and is intended to be a fundamental text for training, education, and the advancement of the field over the next decade or more.