Geographic Perspectives
of Chemistry
Luis D. Montes
Department of Chemistry
University of Central Oklahoma
lmontes@ucok.edu
Why Geographies of Chemistry?
► Geography
Earth”
literally means “to describe the
►A
geographic perspective of chemistry
examines the ways that the principles and
practices of chemistry differ from one place
to another (place matters)
► Analogy:
the solvent effect
Why Geographies of Chemistry?
► Although
the principles of chemistry are
‘placeless’, the practice and development of
chemistry is not.
► Science (and so chemistry), as a body of
knowledge, is a “cultural formation, …
shaped by the local environments in which
its practitioners carry out their tasks”.1
D.N. Livingstone, ‘Reading the heavens, planting the earth: cultures of
British science’, History Workshop Journal (2002), 54, 236.
1
Why Geographies of Chemistry?
► Chemistry
traditionally places an emphasis
on recognizes spaces and places
► Chemistry
activities
creates spaces and places for its
Geography in Chemistry
► Names
of Substances
 Rochelle Salt
(NaKC4H6O6)
 Epsom Salt (MgSO4)
 Sal di Modena (MgSO4)
 Stannum Anglici (tin)
 Spanish Green (CuCO3)
 Cyprian vitriol (CuSO4)
► Names
of Elements (26
or 34 place related
names)








Copper (cuprum)
Americium
Darmstadium
Rhenium
Ruthenium
Gallium
Ytterbium
Magnesium
Berkelium
Americium
Californium
Scandium
Thulium
Polonium
Germanium
Ruthenium
Francium
Gallium
Holmium
Strontium
Hafnium
Rhenium
Darmstadium
Lutetium
Erbium
Terbium
Ytterbium
Yttrium
Dubnium
Cadmium
Magnesium
Manganese
Copper (cuprum)
Where does chemistry take place?
Generating chemical knowledge
► Industrial
research laboratories
► Government research laboratories
► Academic research laboratories
► What differences exist in these places?
► How does one gain admittance to each?
► Can people in other places generate
chemical knowledge?
Where does chemistry take place?
Disseminating chemical knowledge
► Museums
► Classrooms
► Learning
labs
► Conferences
Where does chemistry take place?
Applying chemical knowledge
► How
can chemical knowledge be used to
improve our surroundings?
► How
does the practice of chemistry impact
our environment?
► Where
are samples/ores/minerals/elements
obtained?
Sites of Chemistry Education
► Classroom
► Laboratory
► Field
The Chemistry Classroom
► What
distinguishes a chemistry classroom?
► What
can be altered in the classroom
environment to aid or hinder learning?
► How
can a classroom be designed to
encourage different types of learning?
The Chemistry Classroom
The Chemistry Classroom
The Chemistry Laboratory
► What
is present in a chemistry laboratory?
► What
is required for a safe laboratory?
► How
does the design of a laboratory
influence or reflect the goals of the
laboratory?
The Chemistry Laboratory
The Chemistry Laboratory
The Chemistry Laboratory
The Chemistry Laboratory
Chemistry in the Field
► Students
can experience chemistry in the
world around them (field trips)
► Students
can use chemistry they learn to
interact with the world around them (service
learning)
Chemistry in the Field
Chemistry in the Field
Further Reading
David N., Putting Science in its
Place: Geographies of Scientific Knowledge,
The University of Chicago Press, Chicago,
2003.
► Livingstone,
 Good entry point for studying geographies of
science; includes a bibliographic essay.
► Brit.
Jour. Hist. Sci., 38 (1), 2005.
 The entire issue is devoted to geographies of
science.