August 2014 - Members - lists.sigcis.org

IBM Song Book
by Brian Randell 01 Sep '14

01 Sep '14

Hi: Arstechnica has an article about, and a full copy of an 1937 edition of the IBM Song Book. http://arstechnica.com/business/2014/08/tripping-through-ibms-astonishingly… Cheers Brian Randell School of Computing Science, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU EMAIL = Brian.Randell(a)ncl.ac.uk<mailto:Brian.Randell@ncl.ac.uk> PHONE = +44 191 222 7923 URL = http://www.cs.ncl.ac.uk/people/brian.randell

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Fernando Gil International Prize 2015
by david nofre 29 Aug '14

29 Aug '14

Dear all, See message below: it might be of interest for historians of computing. Last year Mark Priestley's *A Science of Operations* won a special commendation. Best, David Nofre ------------------- Dear Sir/Madam, Please find attached the announcement of Fernando Gil International Prize 2015. We would be grateful if you could make it available widely in your institution, and generally circulate the announcement to anyone whom you think might like to make a nomination for the prize. Thank you in advance. Yours sincerely, Teresa Santos (on behalf of Professor Miguel Seabra, President of the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia) FCT- Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia http://www.fct.pt/apoios/premios/fernando_gil/

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Can computers replace historians?
by Dag Spicer 25 Aug '14

25 Aug '14

That is the provocative headline this morning on the BBC website… http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-28895098 It’s a brief puff-piece on Big Data… but I thought SIGCIS members would at least enjoy the headline… Also this anodyne conclusion: "Leetaru says historians should see this kind of computational tool as just another technique amongst many rather than a threat to their professional expertise.” I’m reassured! :_) Dag -- Dag Spicer Senior Curator Computer History Museum Editorial Board, IEEE Annals of the History of Computing 1401 North Shoreline Boulevard Mountain View, CA 94043-1311 Tel: +1 650 810 1035 Fax: +1 650 810 1055 Twitter: @ComputerHistory

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Fwd: [Ssnet_list] Job Listing: Position in STS at Univ. of Washington-Bothell
by David Stearns 21 Aug '14

21 Aug '14

Apologies if you’ve already received this, but some on this list might be interested in this new position at University of Washington's Bothell campus... Dave Stearns The Information School University of Washington https://ischool.uw.edu/people/faculty/dlsinfo Begin forwarded message: From: Johanna Crane <johcrane(a)uw.edu<mailto:johcrane@uw.edu>> Subject: [Ssnet_list] Job Listing: Position in STS at Univ. of Washington-Bothell Date: August 21, 2014 at 11:05:05 AM PDT To: <ssnet_list(a)u.washington.edu<mailto:ssnet_list@u.washington.edu>> School of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences, University of Washington Bothell Science and Technology Studies, Faculty Search, 2014-15 Science and Technology Studies – Assistant Professor, Tenure-Track (One Full-Time Position) The School of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences (IAS) at the University of Washington Bothell (UWB) seeks dynamic educators who integrates research with teaching in science and technology studies and/or the history and philosophy of science. Potential areas of expertise include science and technology policy, science communication, citizen science, ethics, and history of science and/or technology. The successful candidate will join a faculty that spans the arts, humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences in a curriculum that values interdisciplinarity, diversity, and community-engaged research and pedagogy. Record of teaching excellence, evidence of commitment to working with diverse student and community populations, and PhD are required at time of appointment. Salary is commensurate with qualifications and experience. IAS houses undergraduate and graduate programs, is located in the Seattle metropolitan area, and provides faculty members with access to the research and funding resources of the UW as a whole. IAS houses twelve undergraduate majors, including degrees in Science, Technology, and Society; Environmental Studies; and Mathematical Thinking and Visualization, among others. It also offers Master of Arts degrees in Cultural Studies and Policy Studies, and a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and Poetics. IAS as a whole stresses links among fields and methods of inquiry. We value engaged scholarship and experiential learning relevant to diverse student populations and communities. Successful candidates must have a demonstrated commitment to innovative and effective pedagogy, and should be prepared to teach an upper-division core course that introduces students to interdisciplinary inquiry in a portfolio-based undergraduate curriculum. For more information about IAS, UW Bothell, and the position, go to http://www.uwb.edu/IAS/, or e-mail the search committee chair, Professor Colin Danby, at cdanby(a)uwb.edu<mailto:cdanby@uwb.edu>. Preferred deadline: 15 October 2014. Applications should include a letter addressing the candidate’s scholarly and pedagogical qualifications for working in IAS; CV; research sample; sample syllabus; evidence of teaching success or teaching dossier. Email applications in one electronic file to ias-facultysearch(a)uwb.edu<mailto:ias-facultysearch@uwb.edu>. Letters of recommendation will be requested of candidates who advance in the process. University of Washington faculty members engage in teaching, research and service. Candidates should expect to teach at all levels of the undergraduate and graduate curriculum. The University is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer. IAS is dedicated to the goal of building a culturally diverse and pluralistic faculty and staff committed to teaching and working in a multicultural environment. We strongly encourage applications from women, minorities, veterans, and individuals with disabilities. -- Johanna Crane<http://www.bothell.washington.edu/ias/faculty-and-staff/johannacrane> Assistant Professor Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences University of Washington - Bothell Office location: UW2-323 Office phone: 425-352-3560 Scrambling for Africa: AIDS, Expertise, and the Rise of American Global Health Science<http://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/?GCOI=80140100922670>

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Annual SIGCIS Workshop: Deadline Extended to Nov. 15
by Gallo, Jason A 12 Aug '14

12 Aug '14

We've received a number of excellent submissions for this year's SIGCIS workshop on November 9 in Dearborn Michigan. Thanks to all of you who have submitted. Since we did not send around a reminder email to the list that the original deadline was approaching, we have extended the submission deadline until August 15. Please consider submitting, if you have not already done so. The theme for this year is "Computing the Big Picture," and we are very fortunate to have Prof. Jennifer Light as our keynote speaker. An excerpt of the CFP is posted below, and the full text may be found at http://www.sigcis.org/workshop14. Best, Jason ---------------------- COMPUTING THE BIG PICTURE: SITUATING INFORMATIONT TECHNOLOGY IN BROADER HISTORICAL NARRATIVES SIGCIS Workshop 2014. November 9, 2014, Dearborn, Michigan Keynote Speaker: Jennifer S. Light, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Submission Deadline Extended: August 15, 2014 The Special Interest Group for Computers, Information and Society (SIGCIS - http://www.sigcis.org) welcomes submissions for our annual one-day scholarly workshop to be held on Sunday, November 9 2014 in Dearborn, Michigan. This is immediately after the end of the regular annual meeting of our parent organization, the Society for the History of Technology, details of which are available from http://www.historyoftechnology.org/features/annual_meeting/. Questions about the workshop should be addressed to Andrew Russell (Stevens Institute of Technology), who is serving as chair of the workshop organizing committee. Email arussell(a)stevens.edu<mailto:arussell@stevens.edu>. WORKSHOP THEME: When the history of computing began to emerge as a scholarly field forty years ago its first practitioners and consumers were computing pioneers, who favored technical accounts focused on the first electronic computers. Since then the field has developed in many directions, attracting scholars trained in a variety of historical traditions and working on a broad range of topics, time periods, and geographical settings. Work on the history of computing is increasingly influenced by methods and questions from broader fields and, in turn, is influencing scholars in other communities. This undermines the traditional, hardware centered, master narrative of computing and challenges us to integrate computing into a variety of broader historical stories. As a result, scholars working in or near the history of computing face some big questions: * What is the place of "the history of computing in the history of technology," 26 years on from Michael Mahoney's classic article on that question? * How can traditional historical narratives in areas such as gender studies, economic history, or environmental history be challenged by taking seriously the role of information technology? Conversely, what might these narratives bring to deepen our understanding of information technology itself? * Can historical questions and methods help to provide a coherent framework for new interdisciplinary areas such as software studies, Internet studies, and information studies? * What does today's history of computing literature have to offer to computer scientists and other audiences without specialist historical training? * How can we take seriously the complexities and unique features of computing technology while still producing work that transcends technical detail to tell stories and advance arguments of scholarly interest? We expect most submissions to focus on particular stories rather than on directly answering these weighty questions, but would appreciate it if presenters made an effort to connect their stories to broader narratives and in doing to provide a particular practical answer to one of the questions. SIGCIS has a tradition of welcoming all types of contributions related to the history of computing and information, whether or not there is an explicit connection with the annual theme. Our membership is international and interdisciplinary, and our members examine the history of information technologies and their place within society from a variety of scholarly perspectives including the history of technology, business history, labor history, social history, the history of science, science studies, communications, gender and sexuality studies, computing, and museum studies. SUBMISSION AND FURTHER DETAILS: Proposals for entire sessions and individual presenters are both welcome. We hope to run special sessions featuring dissertations in progress and other works in progress. The workshop is a great opportunity to get helpful feedback on your projects in a relaxed and supportive environment. All proposals will be subject to a peer review process based on abstracts. For information on submission formats and links to our online submission system please view the full call at http://www.sigcis.org/workshop14. As planning progresses we will post updates, the full program, and pre-circulated materials there. We will provide acceptance decisions by August 24. TRAVEL SUPPORT: The top financial priority of SIGCIS is the support of travel expenses for graduate students, visiting faculty without institutional travel support, and others who would be unable to attend the meeting without travel assistance. Awards are usually in the $200-$500 range and cannot cover the full cost of attending the meeting.

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Fwd: Call for Papers: Information History of World War I
by Andrew Russell 11 Aug '14

11 Aug '14

Perhaps of interest… Andy Begin forwarded message: > From: Communication History Discussion List <communicationhistory(a)communicationhistory.org> > Subject: Call for Papers: Information History of World War I > Date: August 8, 2014 at 9:14:03 PM EDT > To: discussion(a)communicationhistory.org > Reply-To: "Communication History Discussion List" <discussion(a)communicationhistory.org> > > (Mailing list information, including unsubscription instructions, > is located at the end of this message.) > __ > > I am contacting you from the UK National Commission for UNESCO. Our Culture Director, Helen Maclagan suggested that we get in touch regarding the fact that we have received a Call for Papers from the Hungarian National Commission for UNESCO for a publication that they are producing on the Information History of World War I. They are looking for contributions from historians and archivists from around the world. We would be grateful if you or a colleague were able to publicise this Call among your networks in whatever way seems appropriate, bearing in mind that the deadline for submitting abstracts is 1 September. > > The proposed section headings are the: > > * destruction or loss of information during the war; > > * positive impact of the war on information creation/generation; > > * flow of information on the frontlines, in the hinterland or in-between; > > * parasites of the information flow; > > * visual war; which can be seen and read; > > * realignment of schemas, cultural patterns and mental models. > The full text of the Call can be found at the following link.<http://www.unesco.org.uk/call_for_papers%3a_information_history_of_world_wa…> > > Do let me know if you have any questions or whether we should take this matter up with someone else. > Many thanks for your help. > > With best wishes, > > Sophie > > -- > > Sophie Leedham > Policy and Communications Officer > UK National Commission for UNESCO > Suite 98, 3 Whitehall Court, London SW1A 2EL > > Tel: +44(0) 207 766 3492 > Mobile: +44(0) 7887476082 > Email: sleedham(a)unesco.org.uk<ablick(a)unesco.org.uk> > Website: www.unesco.org.uk<http://www.unesco.org.uk/> > > -

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Science & Medicine Chair job at Smithsonian
by Thomas Haigh 08 Aug '14

08 Aug '14

Hello everyone, Below is a job announcement for the Curator/Chair of the Division of Medicine and Science at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History that Eric Hintz of the Smithsonian's Lemelson Center has asked me to forward. Note the August 18 deadline - Eric sent it a couple of weeks ago but I was travelling with family and must apologize for the delay. Eric tells me that the job is suitable for a mid-career scholar and that "Note: In addition to lots of scientific instruments and medical technology, the Division of Medicine and Science includes the museum's computing collections, which includes some truly incredible artifacts, e.g. <http://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_334742> panels from the ENIAC, <http://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_689592> Jack Kilby's integrated circuit, Robert Metcalfe's <http://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_687626> prototype Ethernet card and invention notebooks, etc. " However he also cautions that a successful candidate would have to present him or herself with broader history of science interests in which the history of computing was a focus area. Particularly as the announcement calls for "research in the history of American science or medicine" and does not mention technology. Best wishes, Tom On Jul 21, 2014, at 12:40 AM, "Hintz, Eric" < <mailto:HintzE@si.edu> HintzE(a)si.edu> wrote: Dear Tom- I hope all is well. Here's a job announcement for Curator/Chair of the Division of Medicine and Science at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History. Note: In addition to lots of scientific instruments and medical technology, the Division of Medicine and Science includes the museum's computing collections, which includes some truly incredible artifacts, e.g. <http://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_334742> panels from the ENIAC, <http://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_689592> Jack Kilby's integrated circuit, Robert Metcalfe's <http://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_687626> prototype Ethernet card and invention notebooks, etc. I'd be grateful if you would post this to SHOT's SIGCIS group or forward to any mid-career scholars who might be interested.. Thanks! Eric Hintz ====================== Eric S. Hintz, Ph.D. Historian, Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation National Museum of American History Smithsonian Institution MRC 604, P. O. Box 37012 Washington, DC 20013-7012 PHONE: 202-633-3734 FAX: 202-633-4593 <mailto:hintze@si.edu> hintze(a)si.edu <http://invention.smithsonian.org/> http://invention.smithsonian.org ----- Supervisory Museum Curator (Chair), Division of Medicine and Science National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution Accepting Applications through August 18, 2014 The Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History (NMAH) is seeking an experienced scholar to serve as Curator and Chair of the Division of Medicine and Science. The incumbent will pursue his/her own research in the history of American science or medicine; collect historically significant artifacts and manage existing collections; develop and direct exhibition projects and educational programs; and lead the Division of Medicine and Science's curatorial staff. This position is an outstanding opportunity for an experienced scholar-administrator to work with an unparalleled medical and scientific collection at one of the world's leading museums, serving nearly 5 million visitors per year in Washington, DC. This is a full-time, permanent, federally-funded position at the GS-14 level ($106,263 to $138,136 per year, plus substantial benefits), with promotion potential to GS-15. The position is open to all U.S. citizens and U.S. nationals. The National Museum of American History is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates of all backgrounds are encouraged to apply. DUTIES: * Serves as member of the Curatorial Affairs management team advising the Associate Director on long-term plans and intellectual emphases for the museum, the division, and specific exhibitions. * Leads and manages the Division of Medicine and Science staff; develops recommendations for research, collections, exhibitions, and educational programs; and implements museum plans and priorities. * Serves as Project Director for major exhibitions. * Pursues his/her own research of a substantial scholarly level in history of science or medicine; writes and publishes scholarly articles, monographs, books, and various forms of digital scholarship; and is active in professional organizations. QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED: Basic Requirements: 1. Degree in museum work; or in an applicable subject-matter field related to the position. OR 2. Combination of education and experience - courses equivalent to a major, as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. OR 3. Four years of experience that provided knowledge comparable to that normally acquired through the successful completion of the 4-year course of study as shown in #1 above. Additional Requirements (Specialized Experience): In addition to the Basic Requirements listed above, you qualify for this position if you possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-13 level in the Federal Service or comparable pay band system. For this position, specialized experience is defined as researching, collecting, and exhibiting material culture related to history of American science or medicine. This experience is demonstrated through a range of research products such as scholarly articles, teaching, lectures, oral histories, archival holdings, museum collections, exhibitions, and/or public programming. To Apply: Interested applicants should consult the official job announcement and apply online via <http://USAJobs.gov> USAJobs.gov, Job Title: Supervisory Museum Curator (Chair), GS-1015-14, job announcement #14A-MR-299567A-DEU-NMAH. See <https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/373134900> https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/373134900. We will be accepting applications through August 18, 2014. For questions concerning the application process, contact the museum's personnel manager, Erika Mack-Dillaber: <mailto:macke@si.edu> macke(a)si.edu; 202-633-3555. For questions about the Division of Medicine and Science and the advertised position, contact Curator and Interim Chair Deborah J. Warner: <mailto:warnerd@si.edu> warnerd(a)si.edu; 202-633-3421.

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Source identified - Fwd: Charles Babbage, Novelist
by Marc Weber 06 Aug '14

06 Aug '14

From Tim Robinson's reply to Doron Swade: ... > Given your hint, I was able to track it down. It's in Passages, but not in the section on the Analytical Engine. Instead it's in the chapter "Recollections of Wollaston, Davy, and Rogers", p 194 in the original. > > He is referring to conversations with Rogers. He says, "I put into his hands a parcel of proof-sheets of a work I was then writing, thinking they might amuse him during his drive, and that I might profit from is criticism. Some years before, I had consulted him about a novel I had proposed to write solely for the purpose of making money to assist me in completing the Analytical Engine. I breakfasted with the poet, who entered fully into the subject. I proposed to give up a twelvemonth to writing the novel, but I determined not to commence it unless I saw pretty clearly that I could make about £5000 by the sacrifice of my time. The novel was to have been in three volumes, and there would probably have been reprints of another work in two volumes. Both of these works would have had graphic illustrations. The poet gave me much information on all the subjects connected with the plan, and amongst other things, observed that when he published his beautifully illustrated work on Italy, that he had paid £9000 out of his own pocket before he received any return for that work." > > Regards > Tim > > > On 8/5/14, 1:31 PM, doron.swade wrote: >> Dear Marc >> >> The source is 'Passages from the Life of a Philosopher', Babbage's autobiographical excursion. I am away from my sources in London at this time so can't check the page number but it is, as I recall, in the chapter on the Analytical Engine about where CB writes about tic-tac-toe arcade machines as another reference to funding the construction of the Analytical Engine. The references CB makes to novel writing appear in the nature of a passing musing rather than conscientious intention - but who knows. The intention may have been real and the reference only, casual. >> >> Best wishes >> Doron >> Marc Weber | marc(a)webhistory.org | +1 415 282 6868 Internet History Program Founder and Curator, Computer History Museum 1401 N Shoreline Blvd., Mountain View CA 94043 computerhistory.org/nethistory Co-founder, Web History Center and Project, webhistory.org

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Fwd: Charles Babbage, Novelist
by Marc Weber 05 Aug '14

05 Aug '14

From Doron Swade, who headed the construction of the two Difference Engines (at London Sci Museum and CHM): Begin forwarded message: > From: "doron.swade" > Date: August 5, 2014 1:31:57 PM PDT > To: Marc Weber <marc(a)webhistory.org> > Cc: Tim Robinson > Subject: Re: [SIGCIS-Members] Charles Babbage, Novelist > > Dear Marc > > The source is 'Passages from the Life of a Philosopher', Babbage's autobiographical excursion. I am away from my sources in London at this time so can't check the page number but it is, as I recall, in the chapter on the Analytical Engine about where CB writes about tic-tac-toe arcade machines as another reference to funding the construction of the Analytical Engine. The references CB makes to novel writing appear in the nature of a passing musing rather than conscientious intention - but who knows. The intention may have been real and the reference only, casual. > > Best wishes > Doron > Marc Weber | marc(a)webhistory.org | +1 415 282 6868 Internet History Program Founder and Curator, Computer History Museum 1401 N Shoreline Blvd., Mountain View CA 94043 computerhistory.org/nethistory Co-founder, Web History Center and Project, webhistory.org

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Charles Babbage, Novelist
by Matthew Kirschenbaum 05 Aug '14

05 Aug '14

Well, almost. On a recent trip the National Science Museum in London, UK I spotted mention of the fact that CB considered writing novels as a way to finance work on the Analytical Engine; but he never did. Exhibit cards being exhibit cards, there was no sourcing for this tidbit. I've checked some of the Babbage bios, like Hyman, but while they also make the same claim there's still no specific sourcing. Does anyone know where it actually comes from? Thanks, Matt -- Matthew Kirschenbaum Associate Professor of English Associate Director, Maryland Institute for Technology in the Humanities (MITH) University of Maryland 301-405-8505 or 301-314-7111 (fax) http://mkirschenbaum.net and @mkirschenbaum on Twitter Track Changes tumblr: http://trackchangesbook.tumblr.com/

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