Resources

The main libraries at UC San Diego include the Social Science and Humanities Library, the Science and Engineering Library, the Biomedical Library -- all within easy walking distance of the Program office -- and the library and archives of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO) about a mile away near the Pacific shore. The combined book holdings of the UC San Diego library system recently passed the two-million mark. Basic holdings in the science studies disciplines are good , and are being improved with the help of NSF funds and other grants.

The UC San Diego libraries contain major collections of published materials for science studies research on many aspects of 20th century science. There are also rich archival resources, particularly the MSS and unpublished papers of many distinguished scientists who were associated with SIO, such as Roger Revelle, Herbert York, Leo Szilard, and Maria Goeppert-Mayer. The Department of Special Collections at Central Library contains important collections of pre-20th century materials -- for example the 5000-volume collection of early-modern works acquired from Don Cameron Allen -- and a growing amount of material in microform. In addition, the Malcolm A. Love Library at San Diego State University (a few miles from UC San Diego) contains a major collection of early-modern astronomical works, and an associated collection of secondary works that is unique on the West Coast.

As part of the University of California (UC) system, UC San Diego has access to the UC-wide California Digital Libraries; books can be requested on Inter-Library Loan from other UC and San Diego libraries. Major collection s of pre-20th century materials are accessible at the UCLA library, Williams Andrews Clark Library, and Henry E. Huntington Library, all within the greater Los Angeles area. Program funds may be available to graduate students to subsidize the expenses of research trips to more distant libraries, such as that at UC Berkeley.

For "ethnographic" work on modern science, the many distinguished science and engineering Departments at UC San Diego offer attractive possibilities for research. In addition, the Salk Institute, the Supercomputer Center, the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and many biotechnology laboratories are located on or near the UC San Diego campus.

The Program may award travel grants to students to enable them to attend national meetings of the main societies for the science studies disciplines (History of Science Society, Society for Social Studies of Science, and the Philosophy of Science Association), particularly if the student is delivering a paper. Grants may also be made toward essential research expenses off campus (archival work, interviewing scientists, etc.), and toward approved expenses connected with internships.

Resources and Links