and knowledge from HOST, he communicated hard science to non-experts. “HOST catered to my science-oriented interests while embracing my skills and abilities in the arts,” says Bourne. “There is a shifting and challenging space that lies between the arts and the sciences,” he says, and interesting opportunities can be examined by dialogue. “These are important conversations and HOST creates capable arbiters of them.” Bourne believes that his knowledge of contemporary topics in HOST made him “better able to meet the science issues of today.” Strong research skills, precise focus, and the process of robust investigation— what he learned at King’s—gave him the confidence to express complex ideas and data in effective ways. But there have been benefits for the sciences, too. More recently, Dr. Georgy Levit has been exploring all aspects of environmental science and biology in the modern period. His own research brings him into collaborative work with eminent scientists and historians around the world. Collaboration across disciplines reflects the HOST discipline; its interdisciplinarity is one of its most alluring appeals. “One of the things I’m most proud of is the way our programme has been able to draw students from the sciences into thinking about their studies from a humanities perspective—‘outside of the box,’ if you will,” says Dr. Stewart. And the Faculty of Sciences has taken notice. “Science professors at Dalhousie often comment that their best students are the ones who can navigate between the laboratory and the library, between equations and essays. These are precisely the sort of
students King’s can and does attract, and who find themselves at home in HOST and other King’s programmes.” The effects are clearly felt in graduate studies. “Each year, we all write a myriad of recommendations for HOST students applying for graduate school,” and other opportunities, says Dr. McOuat, “FYP prepares students with the remarkable grounding and skills necessary to stand out amongst very strong peer groups. The upper-year programmes hone those skills, giving them the best education available in Canada.” Small class sizes, a small faculty, and challenging core material along with a dizzying array of electives combine to offer opportunities to an amazingly diverse body of students. As one of the only schools to offer HOST at the undergraduate level, King’s is cutting edge in the field. “It is well-recognized amongst elite grad schools that King’s students are easily the best prepared, HOST students especially,” says McOuat. He lists some cases in point: HOST alumni Lisa Crystal (BA ’07), Stephanie Dick (BA ’08) and Deirdre Moore (BA ’09) are now doctoral candidates in the History of Science Programme at Harvard and are standouts in their classes. “When our students first arrived at Harvard, the faculty members expressed to me, with delight and astonishment, the level of these budding young scholars. Simply, our students are intellectually engaged and we are very proud of these achievements.” Now in its golden years, with plans to develop courses in the history of medicine and increase synergies with other programmes, McOuat says, “We imagine a bright future for the HOST Programme.” Let there be light. µ
EVELYN FOX KELLER VISITS For about six weeks this fall, Dr. Evelyn Fox Keller, physicist, author, and professor emeriti at M.I.T, was the Situating Science visiting scholar at the Atlantic Node at King’s College. The Situating Science project, now in its fifth year, promotes collaboration among humanists and scientists in the study of science and technology. As part of her visit, Dr. Fox Keller gave talks to the King’s community, met with scientists, and spoke with students who had recently read her latest book, The Mirage of Space between Nature and Nurture. The HOST Programme at King’s, she said, is “terrific and quite unique. The programme does so much with such a small faculty, it’s amazing. I’m very impressed by King’s students. They’re engaged and thoughtful, and so open-minded.” What’s even more extraordinary about HOST, she said, is the programme’s involvement with scientists like Dr. W. Ford Doolittle, professor emeritus in Dalhousie’s Department of Biochemisty, and Dr. Tom Duck in Physics. “I’ve been speaking with scientists here who are caught in the conflicts about climate sciences, and the fisheries and government cutbacks. And this is a golden opportunity to really address the issues of science in society and situating science in its actual happening. So I think it’s all really wonderful.”
left to right: Dr Stephen Snobelen, Dr Gordon McOuat, Dr Ian Stewart
Tidings | winter 2013
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