Science & Technology Studies 2017?

[grubyczarnykot]

Hi! It's been awhile since I've been on these forums, but I am bored on a slow day at work and figured I would start a thread for Science & Tech Studies applicants this year. My project is really interdisciplinary and kind of at the borders of history medicine, science & technology studies, and labor history, but I applied to STS departments mainly. Didn't get to send in too many applications as I was finishing my MA thesis (in cultural studies/literature), but here's my list:

York STS MA

U of Toronto IHPST MA

Johns Hopkins History of Science & Technology PhD

I'm switching fields, so I focused on secondary MAs with funding options. Has anyone else applied to STS programs this year?

[viridian]

Hello hello, another STS/ History of Science person here, looking to secure a PhD. Mostly applied to HoS programs though, with a master's in HoS. 

I'm interested in biology and the environment.  

I think it's great that you also went for funded MAs. My master's was not funded (I was fortunate to have enough in savings) but I think it was still a good investment for my particular situation and needs. Certainly couldn't have decided on an academic career or solidified my research interests without it. Although I do feel a bit old, coming back to school after many years away...

Do you plan on going the PhD route later on? Would you like to stay in academia? 

 

 

[grubyczarnykot]

My first MA was kind of half-funded, but it was in cultural studies/film, but I feel like I need to solidify my research interests a biiit more if I'm going to spend the money on PhD applications. I do plan on pursuing a PhD, either in Science/Tech Studies or History (of medicine). The MA at U of T includes the possibility of being designated PhD-track, which includes full funding, and that's honestly what I'm crossing my fingers for! Where did you do your MA?

[viridian]

i did my masters in england, and i have a phd offer standing (a deal similar to your phd-track option i think?) but funding is so difficult to come by there. so i've applied to several US universities where acceptance and funding go hand in hand. when are you expecting to hear back? wishing you the best of luck -- and i'm sure adcomms will appreciate your cultural studies/film background!   

[jazzman]

Hi all, thought I'd chime in.

Applied to History of Science / History programs at Penn (HSS), Yale, Princeton, Brown, Columbia and NYU. Broadly interested in European Science, 18th and 19th centuries.

Hold an MA in History proper, but Master's thesis was in History of Science. International applicant, Canada.

Already heard back from Penn, invited to interview.

How about you all? Where did you guys apply to, and have you heard back from anyone?

[psstein]

History of Science here. Primary interests involve the Jesuit Order and its contribution to science, as well as science and religion in the Early Modern Period more generally.

Applied to Chicago, Princeton, Yale, Harvard (AM), Wisconsin, Minnesota, Hopkins, Indiana, and Columbia.

Heard from PoI at Hopkins; reading my application "with interest," and accepted to Minnesota. Probably getting rejected from Chicago (not a good fit).

[nevermind]

I'm a first year at UCSD and my interests are around STS, environmental history/spatial history and the Middle East. I can try to answer any questions if anyone has them...i'm not on here a ton, but I do check in now and then.

[grubyczarnykot]

3 hours ago, psstein said:

History of Science here. Primary interests involve the Jesuit Order and its contribution to science, as well as science and religion in the Early Modern Period more generally.

Applied to Chicago, Princeton, Yale, Harvard (AM), Wisconsin, Minnesota, Hopkins, Indiana, and Columbia.

Heard from PoI at Hopkins; reading my application "with interest," and accepted to Minnesota. Probably getting rejected from Chicago (not a good fit).

Ooh that sounds like a super interesting project. I'm doing Early Modern philosophy/scientific discourse's influence on the institutions of psychiatry/psychology, specifically 17th c mechanical philosophy's. Good luck with your applications, that sounds like a good list!

[viridian]

@nevermind - just thought i'd follow up with you here (felt more suitable, & didn't want to crowd out a thread about one school/interview). thank you for the encouragement, i'm really excited to (finally) embark on the phd journey. i graduated from college 8 years ago, so it's certainly taken me some time.no questions just yet, but i'm sure i will be needing lots of advice in the coming weeks/months. i'm really happy to see that you are also into environmental history!

good luck to everyone else applying! i expect this thread to get bedazzled with much good news.

 

 

[jazzman]

Got into Columbia (modern European/history of science concentration)

Rejected from Yale and Brown (history of science concentration) yesterday.

[nevermind]

5 hours ago, jazzman said:

Got into Columbia (modern European/history of science concentration)

Rejected from Yale and Brown (history of science concentration) yesterday.

 

Congrats @jazzman! nothing beats your first acceptance (ESPECIALLY after two rejections)!

[jazzman]

Thanks @nevermind ! Pretty brutal to get two rejections in a day, even for backups.

[Neist]

7 hours ago, jazzman said:

Thanks @nevermind ! Pretty brutal to get two rejections in a day, even for backups.

Yeah, but those are two pretty competitive programs, too.  

I once entertained the possibility of going for the Yale HoS/JD combo, but getting into both individually seems laughably impossible. Maybe I should apply after my master degrees for giggles.  

[jazzman]

1 hour ago, Neist said:

Yeah, but those are two pretty competitive programs, too.  

I once entertained the possibility of going for the Yale HoS/JD combo, but getting into both individually seems laughably impossible. Maybe I should apply after my master degrees for giggles.  

Sure. Columbia is more competitive than Brown. Though Brown is a pretty good history program, on par with NYU. US Ranking, I'm afraid is what they are judged by. And application pool/admittance. Yale HoS, well, competitive isn't an issue there, it's fit. They are geared towards medicine. And a new senior hire, that may have fallen through, again. They told me to apply on the likelihood that the hire would accept their offer, but I couldn't well mention that in my SOP, so I relied on an early modernist prof that was semi-interested in my topic.

And don't doubt yourself. From what I've read of your posts, you'll be able to get into UPenn, and probably Princeton/Stanford, provided Princeton/Stanford has someone you can work with, potentially. And also Harvard. Just need to tailor your SOP in a very specific way, that defies logic and reason. If you ever think of applying to Ivy HoS programs, PM me. I myself was fortunate enough to get real sound advice (from a Harvard prof and a student at Princeton), and even got someone's SOP that got into all schools second time around, but struck out everywhere first time. (all schools I mean Penn Harvard Princeton Stanford).

Worked out okay so far, UPenn interview coming up, and a fully funded competitive offer at Columbia.  

Edited February 8, 2017 by jazzman
typo

[Neist]

2 hours ago, jazzman said:

And don't doubt yourself. From what I've read of your posts, you'll be able to get into UPenn, and probably Princeton/Stanford, provided Princeton/Stanford has someone you can work with, potentially. And also Harvard. Just need to tailor your SOP in a very specific way, that defies logic and reason. If you ever think of applying to Ivy HoS programs, PM me. I myself was fortunate enough to get real sound advice (from a Harvard prof and a student at Princeton), and even got someone's SOP that got into all schools second time around, but struck out everywhere first time. (all schools I mean Penn Harvard Princeton Stanford).

Worked out okay so far, UPenn interview coming up, and a fully funded competitive offer at Columbia.  

 

 

Thanks!

At the very least, I think my interests are relevant enough to faculty interests at Princeton, Chicago, and UPenn to not be immediately tossed (the latter two, especially). The evolutionary biology nerd in me would love work with Janet Browne at Harvard.  And this is ignoring the possibility of simply staying at Oklahoma. It would be the faster, easier option.

I have a while to think about it, and I'll definitely take you up on that PM.

Edited February 9, 2017 by Neist
Clarification.

[nevermind]

On 2/8/2017 at 1:45 PM, Neist said:

Yeah, but those are two pretty competitive programs, too.  

I once entertained the possibility of going for the Yale HoS/JD combo, but getting into both individually seems laughably impossible. Maybe I should apply after my master degrees for giggles.  

 

I think you should go for it.  

[Neist]

31 minutes ago, nevermind said:

I think you should go for it.  

The law side would be infinitely more difficult (really, check their entrance numbers...), but I have a few years to study the LSAT. I could probably ace it after practicing for two years.  And I worked in a law school for 10 years and probably have a high enough GPA to not be immediately tossed aside.

Aspirations are dangerous things, they are!

[nevermind]

4 hours ago, Neist said:

The law side would be infinitely more difficult (really, check their entrance numbers...), but I have a few years to study the LSAT. I could probably ace it after practicing for two years.  And I worked in a law school for 10 years and probably have a high enough GPA to not be immediately tossed aside.

Aspirations are dangerous things, they are!

 

If you need LSAT materials, I have a ton of pdfs that I can send you. I took it a long time ago and did pretty well on it, so just let me know if you ever need anything! (And you could probably ace it with 6 months of study. It's a VERY learnable test and much more enjoyable than the GRE, IMO.)

[deflippered]

Hi Team,  

::I'm new::  

Did anyone here apply to Chicago's Conceptual and Historical Studies of Science Program?  

If so, any action?

Best,

B

[grubyczarnykot]

Hey! Has anyone heard anything from U of Toronto or York?? I'm going crazy waiting ??