Existing on the Berkeley campus since 1973, the Office for History of Science and Technology (OHST) promotes research, intellectual exchange, and public engagement in the history of science and technology. The Office cooperates with the Department of History to offer an MA/PhD in the history of science. Now an integral part of the Center for Science, Technology, Medicine, & Society, the Office continues to provide research facilities and administrative assistance to scholars and students, as well as organizing international exchanges, conferences, public colloquia and a brownbag seminar series. Among the publications of the Office is Historical Studies in the Natural Sciences, a leading journal in the field, and a monograph series: the Berkeley Papers in History of Science. The Office welcomes visiting scholars from all over the world.
Faculty
Director:
Massimo Mazzotti, Assistant Professor, Department of History
The Office for History of Science and Technology is affiliated with faculty from many departments, including Berkeley's History Department. View list of associated faculty.
Graduate Students
Quantum Physics Collections
Between 1961 and 1964, a wide-ranging project was carried out under the rubric “Sources for History of Quantum Physics.” A research committee composed of Thomas Kuhn, John Heilbron, Paul Forman, and Lini Allen interviewed nearly one hundred people involved in the development of quantum physics. The current OHST collections include 355 microfilms and 774 files of paper documents. Read more
Visiting Scholars
The Center for Science, Technology, Medicine, & Society accepts requests for Visiting Scholar status from academics with a Ph.D. or equivalent who have research related to the Center’s areas of interest that require Berkeley resources. Graduate students with projects to be carried out in Berkeley may apply for Visiting Student status.
If you are interested in being considered for visiting scholar or student status, read more.
Events
Colloquia: A seminar series of invited lectures that is hosted by CSTMS, on Thursday from 4-6pm in 470 Stephens Hall during each semester. Find out who is speaking, or watch past Colloquia.
OHST Working Group: Informal lunchtime seminars to discuss ongoing research and other projects. Held Wednesdays from 12-1:30pm in 470 Stephens Hall.
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Prospective Graduate Students:
At Berkeley, students learn to see the practice of science as related to its cultural, intellectual, and historical context.
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Prospective Visiting Scholars:
The Center hosts several visiting scholars and students each year and maintains a lively collaboration with centers abroad.
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