Call for Papers: ‘A Sense of Nature’, SHNH International Summer Meeting, Lecture Theatre, Kelvin Hall, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, 19-20 June 2025

February 15, 2025

A Sense of Nature This two-day international meeting will explore the intersections of the senses – including sight (vision), sound (hearing), smell (olfaction), taste (gustation) and touch (tactile perception) – with the history of natural history. We invite scholars, researchers and practitioners to submit papers that delve into the sensory dimensions and their roles, and […]

Announcing the programme for the 2025 SHNH ECR Conference 20 February 2025

January 5, 2025

SHNH Early Career Researcher Symposium showcasing research into Natural History. Thursday 20 February 2025 online 10.55-17.15 GMT The Society for the History of Natural History is a diverse community of people united by an active interest in the study of natural history through time, believing that a greater awareness of how nature has been considered, […]

CALL for PAPERS for ‘Early Career Researcher Symposium – showcasing research into the history of natural history’ Online, Thursday 20 February 2025

September 29, 2024

The Society for the History of Natural History is a diverse community of people united by an active interest in the study of natural history through time, believing that a greater awareness of how nature has been considered, documented, valued and exploited by societies and individuals worldwide leads to a deeper understanding and celebration of nature. […]

Announcement – Society for the History of Natural History 2024 awards.

May 13, 2024

SHNH Founders’ Medal The Society is very pleased to announce that our prestigious Founders’ Medal will this year be awarded to Professor Kristin Johnson, Professor and Director of Science, Technology, Health and Society at the University of Puget Sound, Washington, USA. Kristin Johnson has contributed enormously to the history of natural history and the naturalist […]

REGISTRATION OPEN ‘The Palette of Nature’ SHNH International Summer Meeting 2024 National Museum of Wales, Cardiff, Thursday 13 – Friday 14 June 2024

April 21, 2024

Day One 9:15 Arrival and Registration 9:30 Panel 1 Colour charts for naturalists – A brief history Leslie K. Overstreet, Smithsonian Libraries and Archives Recording colour in horticulture: The origin and development of the Royal Horticultural Society’s Colour Chart John David, RHS Garden Wisley “The tints of a geological map speak to the mind […]

CALL FOR STUDENT ESSAYS: The 2024 W. T. Stearn Student Essay Prize is open for submissions

March 28, 2024

The competition is open to undergraduate and postgraduate students worldwide in full- or part-time education, and to postdoctoral students within two years of the award of their doctorate. It is not limited to members of SHNH. The winner will receive £300 and the winning essay will normally be published in the Society’s journal Archives of […]

CALL FOR PAPERS on ‘The Palette of Nature’: SHNH International Summer Meeting, National Museum of Wales, Cardiff, Thursday 13th June 2024, with visits on Friday 14th June

January 27, 2024

We welcome papers that explore (but are not restricted to) the following topics and their relation to the role of colour in natural history: The use of colour in systems of classification Taxonomies of colour Producing and preserving colour Production of natural history illustrations The contributions of artists and illustrators Relationships between naturalists and natural […]

Announcing the 2024 SHNH Natural History Book Prize shortlist (Thackray Medal)

January 17, 2024

Christine E. Jackson, A Newsworthy Naturalist: The Life of William Yarrell John Beaufoy Publishing Ltd. 2021. William Yarrell (1784–1856), was an influential naturalist at a time when natural history was becoming an important factor in 19th century society. He wrote two important books: A History of British Fishes and A History of British Birds, still being quoted as […]

CALL for PAPERS for ‘Early Career Researcher Symposium – showcasing research into the history of natural history’ Online, Thursday 22 February 2024

October 21, 2023

The Society for the History of Natural History is a diverse community of people united by an active interest in the study of natural history through time, believing that a greater awareness of how nature has been considered, documented, valued and exploited by societies and individuals worldwide leads to a deeper understanding and celebration of […]

SHNH Stearn Essay Prize 2023 has been awarded to Mia Uys, University of Cape Town

October 2, 2023

The prize was instituted in 2007 to commemorate the work of Professor William T. Stearn CBE FLS VMH (1911–2001), a scholar whose work contributed much to the field and to this Society. The competition is open to undergraduate and postgraduate students worldwide in full- or part-time education, and to postdoctoral students within two years of […]

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