The University of Manchester’s Centre for the History of Science, Technology and Medicine (CHSTM) was founded in 1986. We are the largest group in the United Kingdom offering integrated coverage of the histories of science, technology and medicine and the communication of scientific ideas to public and policy audiences.

Our research and teaching concentrates largely on the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and sometimes beyond. Current areas of focus include the following:

Physical Sciences and Technology

We work on issues ranging from early industrialisation through to the major ‘Big Sciences’ of the twentieth century: nuclear physics and computing.

Environmental Sciences

We study the past and present politics of environmental knowledge, and its production, promotion and circulation during the long twentieth century, addressing urban climates, public health, geophysics, surveillance and the militarisation of geographical space.

Medicine and the Biosciences

Our work focuses on the history of medicine since 1800, broadly construed. Specialisms include clinical research, translational medicine, forensics and legal medicine, recent biomedical technologies, and human-animal relations.

Science Communication

We study the structures, meanings and implications of public engagements with science and scientists. We especially emphasise the changing forms of science communication and its social relations across history.

Full details are provided on our website.

CHSTM has taken a leading role in the organisation and development of the Manchester Congress. You will see many CHSTM colleagues giving papers, leading tours and managing special events, and our enthusiastic community of graduate students is looking after Congress stewarding and the lunchtime advice sessions. We’d like to take this opportunity to welcome you to Manchester, and hope you have a pleasant stay and a rewarding Congress experience!