Center for Historical Studies of

Technology and Science

Established in 1986 to complement the academic program, the Center accessions historical materials for research by faculty and graduate students. It also sponsors research opportunities, symposia, summer institutes funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities, post-doctoral and visiting fellowships, as, for example, Fulbright Fellowships. It also serves as the focal point for the Program's activities that are outside its educational activities and functions.

Mission Statement

The Center for Historical Studies of Technology and Science at Iowa State University brings into greater prominence the University's Graduate Program in the History of Technology and Science and provides an institutional setting for non- instructional activities paralleling and complementing that instructional program. The Center facilitates interdisciplinary researchand public information projectsin areas of national and state technological and scientific development. It eases the acquisition of resources for research and teaching: soliciting historical manuscripts and records collections from businesses, associations, and individuals and raising grants to support the research, study and travel in the history of technology and science. The Center is the focus for symposia and serial publicationas well as other means to foster communications between academics and academics and the public. It seeks to provide financial support to attract history of technology and science graduate students and serves as an institutional base to attract visiting scholars. In sum, the Center for Historical Studies of Technology and Science enriches the university's academic atmosphere, increases awareness of scholarly activities at Iowa State, enhances graduate education and bolsters undergraduate teaching. It acts as a magnet to draw prominent scholars to Iowa, attracts top quality graduate students and establishes Iowa State University as a leading institution for historical studies of technology and science.

Accomplishments

• Produced a centennial history of ISU's Department of Electrical and Chemical Engineering and a VEISHEA public exhibit of this history.
• Sponsored a symposium entitled "The USDA in Historical Perspective" to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the United States Department of Agriculture as a cabinet post.
• Established a graduate research assistantship with the Henry Ford Museum, Edison Institute in Dearborn, Michigan Edited a monograph series on the History of Technology and Science for Iowa State University Press.
• Works with Iowa corporations to help them establish corporate archives
• Received a grant from the State of Iowa Biotechnology Council to employ a graduate student to investigate the history of synthetic animal growth hormone
• Secured manuscript material for historical research (deposited in the Special Collections Department of the Parks Library) from the Association of Official Analytical Chemists: American Society of Animal Scientists; Pent-Air, Inc.; Pioneer-Hybrid International, Inc.; Maytag and many other individuals, organizations and businesses
• Funded graduate student research trips and travel to present fruits of their research
• Supported dozens of speakers discussing issues in the history of technology and science at Iowa State University
• Sponsored two prestigious National Endowment For the Humanities Summer Institutes for College and University Teachers. Each brought over 30 humanists to study with the history of technology and science faculty at Iowa State.
• Housed Postdoctoral Fellows and Fulbright Scholars from North America, Europe and Africa.
• Purchased over a thousand slides and films for use in teaching history of technology and science courses
• Hosted annual meetings of the Midwest Junto for the History of Science and Iowa College History Teachers Association
• Formed the Iowa Society for the History of Science and Technology to enable Iowans in the history of technology and science to meet regularly and discuss issues of common concern.
• Established a corporate archives and ongoing relationship with Maytag, Inc.