Hans Rausing Lecture
The annual Rausing Lecture, named in honour of the late philanthropist and friend of Cambridge Hans Anders Rausing, explores the history of technology and industry. Beginning in 1996, it has covered topics ranging from medical science, to colonialism, to breakthroughs in digital technology.
Mary Hesse Lecture
How do philosophy, politics, economics, or religion influence our perceptions of new discoveries? How might they impact the development of science? And how can they inform better practices in the future?
These questions inform the Mary Hesse Lecture in the History and Philosophy of Science. Beginning in 2024, this annual lecture explores how the humanities have interacted with science, both historically and today. The sciences and humanities have often been seen as distinct from each other. The Mary Hesse Lecture, much like the Department of History and Philosophy of Science, aims to show how the two can inform each other.
The lecture is named after Professor Mary Hesse, a former lecturer in History and Philosophy of Science from 1960 to 1985. Her research included the use of allegory in scientific investigations, social and hermeneutic theory in sciences, and the interaction between science and religion. Hesse was a pioneering figure for women in the sciences, and a key figure in establishing our department's academic reputation. The Mary Hesse Lecture continues her innovative approach to the sciences.
Anita McConnell Lecture
The annual Anita McConnell Lecture celebrates world-class scholarship on the history of scientific material culture. Founded in 2020, the lecture is named in honour of Anita McConnell, a renowned historian of scientific instruments and a lifelong friend of our Department.
The lecture is organised by the Department's museum, the Whipple Museum of the History of Science. The Whipple was founded in 1944 with a mission to promote the use of its collections in history of science teaching and research, an ethos that it continues to pursue today, and to celebrate through the McConnell Lecture.