Colloquia, Giere lecture, IPDF and Science Studies Symposia

Colloquia

The Center hosts a number of seminars each semester. The colloquia series is jointly hosted by the Minnesota Center for Philosophy of Science (MCPS), the Program in History of Science and Technology, and the Program in the History of Medicine. Lectures begin at 3:35pm in 216 Pillsbury Drive (formerly Nicholson Hall), Room 125 on the East Bank of the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities campus. 
 

Giere Memorial Lecture

The Giere Memorial Lecture in Philosophy of Science is held bi-annually. The next lecture will be on Friday 24 April 2026. 
 

International PostDoc Forum

The International PostDoc Forum (IPDF) is an online event for early career researchers to share their work. Commentary is provided by local MCPS community members. There are usually two of these events held each semester. 
 

Science Studies Symposium

The annual Science Studies Symposium is an opportunity for scholars from diverse areas at the University of Minnesota to communicate their research related to the nature, dynamics, and intricacies of one or more of the sciences, including broader implications for scholarship and society.

 

Autumn 2026 colloquia dates 

We're excited to announce this semester's lineup of speakers. Please get in touch if you have any questions or would like more information about a specific date. Abstracts are available to read online. 

Title Speaker Institution Date
Making East Asian Semiconductors in Cold War America: Migration, Knowledge Labor, and the Rise of MOS Technology Sangwoon Yoo Hanbat National University, South Korea and Charles Babbage Institute 18 September
Channeling the divine? Technology and the cultural chasm between evangelical/conservative and liberal Christianity Jennifer Alexander  History of Science and Technology, University of Minnesota 25 September
Author Meets Readers: Toward a Philosophy of Error in Science Douglas Allchin, Stephan Guttinger, and Iris Donga Vilares

University of Minnesota, University of Exeter, University of Minnesota

 2 October
In the Global Vanguard: Agrarian Development and the Making of Modern Taiwan James Lin Social Sciences and Evidence Synthesis Librarian from UMN Libraries 9 October
TBC Susan Burns

History, University of Chicago

 16 October
Turning Data into Evidence in Human Paleogenomics Matilde Carrera Minnesota Center for Philosophy of Science,
University of Minnesota		 23 October
TBC Julia Cummiskey Johns Hopkins University 30 October
Making the Case for Cluster Theories of Kinds Zina Ward

Florida State University

 6 November
TBC Peter Harrison University of Notre Dame, Australia and University of Queensland 13 November
Degeneration Theory and Disability Panic in Early Irish Sports Journalism Marion Quirici Kennesaw State University 20 November
Tracking Retractions: Inside What's Wrong With Science and Science Publishing Adam Marcus Retraction Watch 4 December
The Rickshaw in Twentieth-Century Japan: A User’s Manual Kate McDonald  History, UC Santa Barbara 11 December