Stevens symposium looks at the nature of technology, change
On April 19-20, Stevens Institute of Technology will host a gathering of scholars from the United States and abroad to discuss new trends in the field of technology studies. The symposium, "Technology Studies: New Frontiers," will examine the very nature of technology and change. It will also explore the cutting-edge methods now used by leading experts in the technology studies field. The event is hosted by Stevens' Arthur E. Imperatore School of Sciences and Arts.
"The field of technology studies is at a crossroads today," says Dr. James McClellan III, a Stevens history of technology professor and prominent author in the field.
"Technology historians have come a long way from the 1950s when they focused on artifacts and 'things,'" he says. "The next generation focused on 'technological systems' and the social construction of those systems. The issue today is, where does the field go from here?"
The symposium opens Friday, April 19, with a 6 p.m. dinner featuring a talk by Dr. Paul Israel of Rutgers University and the Edison Papers on "Inventing Patents, Defining Technology: The Patent System and the Creation of Intellectual Property."
Sessions on Saturday, April 20, will focus on the study, history and social significance of technology with speakers from several universities. Robert Post, Senior Fellow at the Dibner Institute at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, will give the luncheon keynote address (12:30 to 2:30 p.m.) on "History and the History of Technology."
Other presenters include the symposium organizers, Drs. McClellan and Mary Ann Hellrigel of Stevens' Department Humanities and Social Sciences; Drs. Carol Gould and Arnold Urken, also of the department; Hans-Joachim Braun of the Universitat Der Bundeswehr, Hamburg, Germany; Dr. Arwen Palmer Mohun of the University of Delaware; Dr. Martin Melosi of the University of Houston, Dr. Erik Peter Rau of Drexel University; and Dr. Ann Johnson of Fordham University.
For a full listing of presentations, registration and hotel information, and contacts, see: www.stevens.edu/humanities/Conferences/Humanities_Conf.pdf
For registration information contact: Katherine Connors at kconnors@stevens.edu or (201) 216-8074.
(Note: Reporters are welcome at no charge; please contact the number above if you wish to attend.)
About Stevens Institute of Technology
Founded in 1870 and celebrating 140 Years of Innovation, Stevens Institute of Technology, The Innovation University TM , lives at the intersection of industry, academics and research. The University's students, faculty and partners leverage their collective real-world experience and culture of innovation, research and entrepreneurship to confront global challenges in engineering, science, systems and technology management.
Based in Hoboken, N.J. and with a location in Washington, D.C., Stevens offers baccalaureate, master’s, certificates and doctoral degrees in engineering, the sciences and management, in addition to baccalaureate degrees in business and liberal arts. Stevens has been recognized by both the US Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security as a National Center of Excellence in the areas of systems engineering and port security research. The University has a total enrollment of more than 2,200 undergraduate and 3,700 graduate students with almost 450 faculty. Stevens’ graduate programs have attracted international participation from China, India, Southeast Asia, Europe and Latin America as well as strategic partnerships with industry leaders, governments and other universities around the world. Additional information may be obtained at www.stevens.edu and www.stevens.edu/press.
