Research Topics in
Empirical Studies of Science

In recent years I have used and developed various quantitative empirical methods to study historical, social, and philosophical aspects of science that can otherwise not be treated. Methods include combinations of bibliometric, network, content, and database analysis.

Publications

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Papers

"The Global Institutionalization of Nanotechnology Research: A Bibliometric Approach to the Assessment of Science Policy", Scientometrics, 70, no. 3 (2007), 669-692.

"Popular Images versus Self-Images of Science: Visual Representations of Science in Clipart Cartoons and Internet Photographs" (with Tami Spector), in: P. Weingart, B. Hüppauf (eds.). Images and the Sciences, London-New York: Routledge (forthcoming, 2006).

"Reading Nano: The Public Interest in Nanotechnology as Reflected in Book Purchase Patterns", Public Understanding of Science , 14, (2005), 163-183.

"Why do Chemists Perform Experiments?", in: D. Sobczynska, P. Zeidler, E. Zielonacka-Lis (eds.), Chemistry in the Philosophical Melting Pot, Peter Lang (Frankfurt/M.), 2004, pp. 395-410.

"Multidisciplinarity, Interdisciplinarity, and Patterns of Research Collaboration in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology", Scientometrics, 59 (2004), 425-465.

"The Impact of Instrumentation on Chemical Species Identity: From Chemical Substances to Molecular Species", in: P. Morris (Ed.): From Classical to Modern Chemistry: The Instrumental Revolution, Cambridge (Royal Society of Chemistry) 2002, pp. 188-211.

"Scientometric Studies on Chemistry II: Aims and Methods of Producing new Chemical Substances2, Scientometrics, 39 (1997), 125-140.

"Scientometric Studies on Chemistry I: The Exponential Growth of Chemical Substances, 1800-1995", Scientometrics, 39 (1997), 107-123.

Presentations

“The Visual Image of Chemistry”, The Public Image of Chemistry, Conference of the IUHPS/DHS Commission on the History of Modern Chemistry, Paris, France, 17-18 September 2004 (with Tami Spector).

“Interdisciplinarity and Multidisciplinarity in Nanoscale Research”, Nanotechnology in Science, Economy and Society, University of Marburg, Germany, 13-15 January 2005.

“Patterns of Interdisciplinarity in Nanoscale Research”, Nanoelectronics Symposium, Nanocenter, University of South Carolina, Columbia, USA, 21 November 2003 (poster presentation).

“Multidisciplinarity, Interdisciplinarity, and Patterns of Collaborations in Nanoscale Research”, Annual Meeting of the Society of Social Studies of Science (4S), Atlanta, GA, USA, 16-19 October, 2003.

“The Impact of Instrumentation on Chemical Species Identity”, From the Test-Tube to the Autoanalyzer: The Development of Chemical Instrumentation in the 20th Century, Workshop of the International Commission for the History of Modern Chemistry, Science Museum, London, U.K., 10-12 August 2000 (invited).

“Coping with the Growth of Knowledge: Challenges to the Chemical Information Management”, European Media Lab, University of Heidelberg, Germany, 17 April 2000.

“Population Dynamics in the Chemical Zoo: Dynamics, Aims, and Methods of Synthetic Chemistry”, University of Bielefeld, Germany, 20 January 1998.

“Population Dynamics in the Chemical Zoo. Dynamics, Aims, and Methods of Synthetic Chemistry”, University of Heidelberg, Germany, 5 February 1997.