FORTHistory
FORTHistory 1983-2023
2021-2023
Principal Investigator: Professor Gelina Harlaftis
Hosted by: Institute for Mediterranean Studies, Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas, Greece
The History of Technology Research Unit is dedicated to the study of the role of Technology and Science in Mediterranean societies and cultures from antiquity to modern times. The research team have special interests in the history of tools, techniques, materials and artifacts; the history of ideas about technology; the history of technological networks, systems and infrastructures (Energy; Water; Transportation) the history of engineering; the history of technical and scientific expertise; the history and policies of intellectual property; the history and policies of innovation and industrialization; science and technology policy.
Research team maintains research and academic link to Humanities and Social Sciences with other research units of the Institute for Mediterranean Studies, as well as with other national and international research groups, networks and Universities. The IMS-History of Technology Unit encourages collaboration and works closely with the FORTH Research Institutes in order to highlight aspects of the social character of critical cutting-edge technologies and scientific methods (Computer Sciences & Information Technologies; Chemical Engineering & Materials Technology; Environmental Sciences; Nanotechnology; Biotechnology), developed by the latter.
People
Aristotle Tympas
Professor of History of Technology in Modernity
Department of History and Philosophy of Science, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.
Christos Hadziiossif
FORTH Distinguished member, Professor Emeritus of Modern and Contemporary History
Department of History and Archaeology, University of Crete
Research Projects
ARCHERS
Advancing Young Researchers’ Human Capital in Cutting Edge Technologies in the Preservation of Cultural Heritage and the Tackling of Societal Challenges, Stavros Niarchos Foundation
2017-2020
Principal Investigator Christos Hadziiossif
Collaborator Researchers Post-doctoral researchers: Spyros Tzokas, Christos Karampatsos
Funding Institution Stavros Niarchos Foundation
Advancing Young Researchers’ Human Capital in Cutting Edge Technologies in the History and the Societal Implications of Science and Innovation in the Sectors of the:
i) Preservation of Cultural Heritage and the Tackling of Societal Challenges
ii) Environment and Clean energy
ARCHERS
Industrial Property Policies in Greece during 20th century (Spyros Tzokas)
2017-2020
The research project studies aspects of public policy in the fields of Intellectual Property (Patents, Trademarks, Copyright, Industrial Designs, Geographical indications, Trade Secrets), Technical Standardization and Managerial/Organization Methods following the research of experts’ communities (engineers, scientists, lawyers, economists) in the Greek state and abroad. The aim of the project is to highlight the conditions that allowed (or prevented) the production of a "primary innovation" in the Greek case during the 20th century.
ARCHERS
Searching for Oil Deposits in Greece During the Inter-War Years, 1920-1940 (Christos Karampatsos)
2017-2020
The scientific and public discourse concerning oil and fossil fuels deposits in Greece is older than usually thought; it surfaced in the 1920s and went on until the Second World War. It gave rise to expectations for ‘prosperity and fiscal reconstitution’, as well as to fears -or aspirations- concerning the involvement of the ‘Great Powers’ into Greek affairs. It was accompanied by the emergence of relevant scientific and state institutions and was connected to state priorities as such priorities formed and evolved during a turbulent period of Greek history. Interestingly though, the much discussed Greek fossil fuel deposits of the inter-war period eventually remained buried under the earth’s crust.
