Making Science Global: Reconsidering the Social and Intellectual Implications of the International Polar Years

我们建议在史密森学会召开一次为期两天的会议，研究1882年、1932年和1957年的国际极年对科学、社会和文化的推动和影响。我们打算邀请大约24名学者，主要是历史学家和科学家，从经验丰富的研究人员到高级研究生，探索这些运动的起源及其在全球科学(包括物理科学和人文科学)、专业精神和相关学科机构的发展中所起的作用。智力价值拟议会议的主要主题是探讨连续三个国际极地年(IPYs)在地球科学领域出现跨国科学实体方面的作用，确定和评估国家建设和国际竞争与合作的重要性。亨特·杜普雷(1967)可能是第一个承认和阐明各种形式的政府在勘探活动中的内在利益的人，威廉·戈茨曼(1967)对他的观察进行了扩展和完善，他表明，无论政府是否支付账单，它们仍然从这一活动中受益，并通过交通和通道的基础设施为它们提供便利(Thibodeau，1985，82)。因此，迫切需要评估国际地球年如何促进地球科学各学科的专业化，它们如何阐明国家风格，它们如何促进科学仪器的发展，以及它们如何集中对科学的资助。到目前为止，这些主题基本上还没有被探讨。广泛的影响我们计划这次会议与科学历史学会的年度会议相吻合。我们将于2007年10月31日星期三上午在HSS会议(11月1日至4日)之前开始。通过这种方式，我们希望尽可能广泛和多样化地接触到科学史学家的社区。我们还认为，华盛顿哥伦比亚特区的网站将在更广泛的学者和工作者社区中引起关注，这些学者和工作者从事受国际基础科学年现象影响的领域，他们可能意识到并对将于2007年开始的第四届国际基础科学年的遗产感到好奇。我们还希望在一次特别的晚间小组讨论中与科学家和政策制定者进行接触。该小组将考虑如何将历史观点传达给当代科学家，以便进行作为第四届国际基础科学年组织的广泛调查，以及感兴趣的学生和公众如何参与这项运动。会议的这些方面直接符合NSF 05-588计划征集第13页第7项第2段中规定的标准。我们将在当地宣传这次会议，以利用华盛顿是许多对全球问题感兴趣的学者的大本营这一事实。我们还将利用史密森学会的可见性来吸引华盛顿特区地区专业科学组织以外的观众。我们打算编辑和出版会议的同行评议的会议记录，一旦获得NSF的支持，我们将寻求出版补贴来做到这一点，最有可能的是即将恢复活力的SI-内部“史密森学会出版计划”，该计划将于2007年推出。我们正在寻求NSF的支持，主要是为包括学生在内的国内外学者提供旅行津贴，希望吸引一些来自传统上代表性不足的地区的学生。还寻求支助一名行政实习生以及筹备和传播有关会议信息的相关费用。我们正在与NSF接洽，将其作为这项活动的主要支持者。一旦NSF的资金获得批准，我们将寻求补充资金。

IntroductionWe propose a two-day conference at the Smithsonian Institution to examine the impetus for (and the impact upon) science, society and culture by the International Polar Years of 1882, 1932, and 1957. We intend to invite roughly two dozen scholars, mainly historians and scientists, from experienced researchers to advanced graduate students, to explore the origins of these campaigns and their role in the growth of global science (both the physical sciences and the human sciences), of professionalism, and of institutions in associated disciplines. Intellectual MeritThe overarching theme of the proposed conference is to explore the role of the three successive IPYs (International Polar Years) in the emergence of transnational scientific entities in the geosciences, identifying and assessing the importance of nation building and international competition and cooperation. Hunter Dupree (1967) may have been the first to recognize and articulate the inherent interest that governments of all forms have had in campaigns of exploration, and his observations have been extended and refined by William Goetzmann (1967) who has shown that whether or not governments paid the bills, still they benefited from the activity and facilitated them through the infrastructure of transportation and access (Thibodeau, 1985, 82). Of great need therefore is an assessment of how the IPYs stimulated the professionalization of the various disciplines within the geosciences, how they elucidated national styles, how they fostered the development of scientific instrumentation, and how they focused patronage for science. These are themes that to date remain largely unexplored.Broader ImpactsWe have planned this conference to coincide with an annual meeting of the History of Science Society. We will start on Wednesday morning 31 October 2007 just before the HSS meets (1 - 4 November). In this way we expect to reach as broad and varied a community of historians of science as possible. We also feel that the Washington DC site will promote attention among a far broader community of scholars and workers in fields that are impacted by the phenomenon of the IPYs, and who may be aware and curious about the legacy that had led to the fourth IPY, which will start in 2007. We also hope to reach out to scientists and policy makers alike in a special evening panel discussion. The panel will consider how historical perspectives can be communicated to contemporary scientists about to undertake the extended investigations organized as the fourth IPY, as well as how interested students and the public can engage the campaign. These aspects of the conference appeal directly to criteria specified in Program Solicitation NSF 05-588, page 13, item 7, paragraph 2. We will advertise this conference locally to take advantage of the fact that Washington is home for many scholars interested in global issues. We will also take advantage of the Smithsonian Institution's visibility to attract an audience beyond the professional scientific organizations in the Washington DC area. We intend to edit and publish the peer-reviewed proceedings of the conference, and once NSF support is secured, will seek a publishing subvention to do so, most likely a soon-to-be re-vitalized SI-internal "Smithsonian Institution Scholarly Publishing Program", which will be available in 2007. We are seeking support from the NSF mainly for travel stipends for a mixture of domestic and foreign scholars, including students, hoping to attract some from regions that have been traditionally underrepresented. Support is also sought for an administrative intern and associated costs of preparing and disseminating information about the meeting. We are approaching NSF as the primary supporter of this activity. Once NSF funding is approved, we will be seeking supplemental funding.