Travel Grants for Graduate Students and Independent Scholars

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This Science and Society Grant in the History, Philosophy and Social Studies of Science supports renewal funds to permit the History of Science Society (HSS), the Society for the History of Technology (SHOT), the Philosophy of Science Association (PSA) and the Society for Social Studies of Science (4S) to provide travel awards to graduate students, independent scholars, and junior scholars with little or no access to funding to attend the professional meetings of the societies during the five-year period 2006-2010. Funding of this proposal will not only enhance the intellectual content and depth of science studies, it will also broaden the impact of the field. The intellectual benefits can be measured by surveying the conferences of each society over the past ten years, years in which NSF monies have been used to assist travel. Representation amonggraduate students and independent scholars in the programs has been significant, representing a generation of scholars who have been inducted into the profession. The intellectual benefits have flowed in at least two directions: society conferences have been richer and more diverse with participation by these scholars, and these scholars' research and careers, as they have testified, have been helped by this participation. Suchprofessionalization is crucial since these younger scholars will be teaching at the major research universities, as well as liberal arts colleges, community colleges, and other schools, for many years to come. The impact of their teaching will not be limited to the United States. The NSF travel grants have been a major orce in facilitating international exchange, allowing scholars to travel overseas as they share their research. This not only allows for broad impact, it also enhances the intellectual quality of the meetings, allowing diverse viewpoints and interpretations of science. With increasing competition from abroad, it is important that HSS, SHOT, PSA, and 4S, and their largely US membership be able to share ideas and questions about science and its influence on society.