ABSTRACT
Scientists and engineers have, naturally enough, often been intrigued by the historical origins of their professions. Over recent decades, history of science and technology has become established as an important academic discipline, enjoying rapid growth and scholarly recognition. Early studies commonly centered on the lives and work of such famous individuals as Galileo, Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, and Thomas Edison. Since the 1970s, an increasing number of historians have branched out from “great men and their ideas” to explore new intellectual directions. Science and technology, after all, do not evolve in a vacuum. Researchers have linked the history of science and technology to other disciplines, including social history, economic history, labor history, popular culture, and notably, women’s history. Although intellectual history and the study of prominent men should by no means be discarded, adding extra dimensions has transformed history of science into a richer, more complete narrative. Once researchers broaden their focus to include gender issues, new questions suddenly leap to the forefront.
