[Archived] SHAC Spring Meeting: In the Beginning: Sources of Alchemy and Chemistry

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This year, the Society launches Sources of Alchemy and Chemistry, a new series of supplements to Ambix. These will offer critical editions and English translations of important works in the history of chemistry, including works composed in Greek, Syriac, Arabic, Hebrew and Latin. These editions will showcase the best and most up-to-date scholarship on early chemical writings, offering new insight into the origins of alchemy, chemistry and chemical technology. To mark the occasion, the SHAC Spring Meeting explored new work in these fields, using sources that are not yet available in modern editions.

The Meeting took place on the 16 March between 12.30 and 17.30 at Richard Eden Room, Gillian Beer House, Clare Hall (West Court site), Cambridge. The programme is outlined below:

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[Archived] 2013-2014 Rumford Scholarship

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The Chemical Heritage Foundation (CHF) and the Society for the History of Alchemy and Chemistry (SHAC) are pleased to invite applications for the 2013-2014 Rumford Scholarship. This annual award will enable a North American scholar to travel to Europe in order to undertake original research in the history of chemistry or alchemy in libraries/archives/museum collections using their particular resources. The award may be held in any European country. The value of the award is £2300. Applications are due April 7, 2013. For more information or an application, please go to:

[Archived] The Partington Prize 2014

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The Society for the History of Alchemy and Chemistry has established the Partington Prize in memory of Professor James Riddick Partington, the Society’s first Chairman. It is awarded every three years for an original and unpublished essay on any aspect of the history of alchemy or chemistry. The prize consists of five hundred pounds (£500). The competition is open to anyone with a scholarly interest in the history of alchemy or chemistry who, by the closing date of 31 December 2013, has not reached 35 years of age, or if older has been awarded a doctoral thesis in the history of science within the previous three years. Scholars from any country may enter the competition, but entries must be submitted in English and must not have been previously submitted to another journal. The prize-winning essay will be published in the Society’s journal, Ambix.

Entries should be submitted electronically as e-mail attachments. We prefer files to be Microsoft Word documents (Word 93–2013 or higher), although these may be accompanied by a PDF version if desired. Essays must be fully documented using the conventions used in the current issue of Ambix. Essays must not exceed 10,000 words in length, including references and footnotes. All entries must be submitted with a word count.

All entries should be sent to The Hon Secretary, Dr Anna Marie Roos, at anna.roos@history.ox.ac.uk, with the words “Partington Prize” in the subject heading. Two documents should be submitted: the first, a separate title page giving the author’s name, institution, postal address, e-mail address and date of birth (and, if relevant, the date of the award of the Ph.D.). The second should be the essay. The author’s name and contact details must not appear on the pages of the essay as the identity of the author will not be made available to the judges. Essays (no more than one from each competitor) must be received no later than midnight GMT on 31 December 2013.

The decision of the judges appointed by the Council will be final. The Society reserves the right to divide the prize between two or more entries of equal merit, or not to award a prize should no essay be deemed of suitable standard. The name of the winner will be announced by 30 April 2014.