The succession of generations of electron microscopists

Schimmel, G.

doi:10.1016/0304-3991(86)90184-1

Cited by 4 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 14 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…For two decades, Siemens and AEG/Zeiss provided for the lions’ share of research as well as training duties in Germany. Gerhard Schimmel (1986: 185), a second-generation electron microscopist, emphasized the prominent importance of these two industrial host laboratories for the production and diffusion of TEM during the 1950s and 1960s:More and more scientists had access to this instrument. However, it was difficult for newcomers to the field to achieve expertise in operation of the instrument – and to master as well the techniques of specimen preparation.…”

Section: The Development Of a Settler Community: Transmission Electromentioning

confidence: 99%

Nomads and settlers in the research-technology regime: The case of transmission electron microscopy

Lettkemann

2017

Social Science Information

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This article presents historical evidence for the rise of a new type of research-technology community that deviates in several respects from the social and epistemic configurations of work that Terry Shinn described in his seminal writings on the origins of the research-technology regime. The more recent type of settlers is distinguished from a nomadic type, prevalent in Shinn’s work. It is argued that, despite many configurational differences, both types constitute functional equivalents for producing and disseminating generic instrumentation. An important difference, however, is the prolonged life expectancy of settler communities, resulting in long-term upgrading cycles. On the basis of a case study on transmission electron microscopy in Germany, the article investigates social and epistemic conditions facilitating the emergence and permanent institutionalization of a settler community. It seems that material resistances, hindering nomadic research practices, as well as support from scientific/industrial elites have great impact on the formation of settler communities.

show abstract

Section: The Development Of a Settler Community: Transmission Electromentioning

confidence: 99%