Dear colleagues Here below follows a call for help by G. Parolini, who looks out for material on statistics and computing in biology in the UK, 30s to 70s. She's as cc for those who may want to help, Best, Sandra Mols ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: Giuditta Parolini <giuditta.parolini2@UNIBO.IT> To: MERSENNE@JISCMAIL.AC.UK Sent: Mon, 14 June, 2010 14:22:06 Subject: Request of reading advices on statistics and computing in agriculture and life sciences Hi, I am a PhD student at the University of Bologna (http://www.cis.unibo.it/sth/doc_students/curricula/parolini.html) interested in the development of statistics in agricultural and biological research in UK (especially from 1930s to 1970s). I want to examine as a case study the development of the statistical researches related to life sciences at Rothamsted experimental station and the Galton Laboratory. As I am interested in the history of computing, I want to investigate in particular which role had computing technologies (mechanical calculators, punched cards machines and electronic computers) in the development of statistical practices and methodologies and in the local negotiations among statisticians, biologists and agricultural scientists. Key figures in my research will be R.A. Fisher, Frank Yates (Fisher's successor at Rothamsted) and Cedric A.B. Smith (statistician at the Galton Laboratory headed by Penrose). I am looking for sources on various aspects: - the history of statistics - and more generally the history of quantification - in agriculture and life sciences for the period 1930s-1970s - the use of computing technologies in statistics, especially with relation to agriculture and life sciences - the visual culture of statistics in 20th century Can you help me with reading suggestions? You can write to my email address giuditta.parolini2@unibo.it Best regards, Giuditta Parolini