Becoming Weatherwise—In Early America and Today

Live stream the talk at 6:00 p.m. ET on October 13. 

Join us on Thursday, October 13 for a talk from historian of science James R. Fleming featuring the Early American history of scientific discoveries and popular opinions about the weather and climate. He will also discuss the role of citizen science today and current activism around climate change. Fleming was an advisor to the APS exhibition Becoming Weatherwise: A History of Climate Science in America, which explores the questions and methods that have driven the study of weather and climate in the Western world from the mid-18th century through today. 

Jim Fleming is the Charles A. Dana Professor of Science, Technology, and Society at Colby College and a research associate at the Smithsonian Institution. He has earned degrees in astronomy (B.S. Penn State University), atmospheric science (M.S. Colorado State University) and history (Ph.D. Princeton University). His teaching bridges the sciences and the humanities, and his research interests involve the history of the geophysical sciences, especially meteorology and climate change. He has written extensively on the history of weather, climate, technology, and the environment including social, cultural, and intellectual aspects. His books include Meteorology in America, 1800-1870 (Johns Hopkins, 1990), Historical Perspectives on Climate Change (Oxford, 1998), The Callendar Effect (AMS, 2007), Fixing the Sky (Columbia, 2010), Inventing Atmospheric Science (MIT, 2016), and First Woman: Joanne Simpson and the Tropical Atmosphere (Oxford, 2020).

Please note: In-person program attendees must show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test within 48 hours and wear a mask while inside Franklin Hall. With limited space for social distancing, requiring proof of vaccination is the best way to protect the health and safety of our visitors and staff. Please make sure all members of your party are aware of these requirements.