SHOT Global Community Scholars
SHOT GLOBAL COMMUNITY SCHOLARS 2023-2025
Each year, SHOT designates selected Global Community Scholars for a two-year term. These scholars act as ambassadors for the society in their countries and regions, both by informing SHOT about the history of technology in their regions, and by helping to disseminate information about the society and its activities. In return, they receive priority for travel grant applications and a free two-year SHOT membership, which includes a subscription to Technology and Culture.
The 2023 Global Community Committee – Madhumita Saha (Chair), Damilola Adebayo, Sonia Robles, and Yovanna Pineda – is pleased to announce the 2023-2025 SHOT Global Community Scholars:
MUMTAZ ALAM is a citizen of Fiji. His work examined the intricate interplay between Fijian medicine, cultures, and history. Currently, he is working in Fiji National University. He writes, ‘My participation in the program enables cross-cultural insights and comparative discussions that broaden the scholarly community’s horizons.’
FELIPE TRUJILLO BILBAO is a Doctoral candidate at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile. He is writing his dissertation on the topic of the green revolution and technological change in water usage in engineers who traveled from Chile to the US for technical assistance during the Cold War. He writes, ‘I would be honored to be nominated for this endeavor and put all of my efforts in promoting the work of the SHOT in the region, as well as helping in any way I can in the next SHOT annual meeting, which is a responsibility I have began to felt after seeing how difficult it has been to maintain a group of non-native English students and scholars engaged with the History of Technology.’
JOSE G. ALVAREZ CORNETT is an independent scholar from Caracas, Venezuela with a background in Physics, Geosciences, and Asia-Pacific business. He created VES PROJECT, an independent research initiative to study the life of immigrant STEM professionals in Venezuela. He is a lecturer in the History of Science at the Faculty of Science of the Central University of Venezuela (UCV). He writes that he wants ‘To communicate to the international HST community, either in English or Spanish, the main characteristics of HST and SSST research work that has been carried out in Venezuela. Additionally, I would like to present to the SHOT community (1) the story of the outstanding role played by Venezuelan women in the development of technologies during the 20th century and the first quinquennial of the 21st century; (2) the Asian influence on science, medicine, and technology in Venezuela during the 20th century; and (3) the influence of Ukrainian immigration in the Venezuelan society in science, the arts, technology, and medicine (1949-1999).’
BLESSING J. EDET did his Ph.D. at the University of Uyo, Nigeria. His thesis is titled, “Nigeria’s First Division and Trench Warfare in the Nigerian Civil War, 1967-1970”. Currently, he is a Lecturer at the School of Basic Studies (SBS) and the School of Continuing Education (SCE ) Department of History, University of Uyo. He hopes he ‘will contribute significantly to the SHOT debate on historicizing regional technologies as well as in achieving my long-term research goals.’
ADENIJI OWALE specializes in military history. He takes a keen interest in the role of technology in Nigeria’s security architecture up until postcolonial times. Currently, he is a doctoral student at the Nigerian Defence Academy, Nigeria. He writes, ‘As a SHOT Global Community Scholar, I aim to share insights and enrich the global discourse on technology’s historical impact.’
THAMARAI SELVAN KANNAN is a doctoral student at IIT-Madras, India. His areas of specialisation include History of Science, Technology, Craft and Education. The applicant writes, ‘I have volunteered for the online (2021) and in-person (2022) annual conferences of our society in supporting the over-all organizing team. Last year I have organized a panel with fellow PhD candidates especially who comes from global south.’