Abstract
This seminar brings together experts in the field of history of science and exile studies to commemorate the contribution of the international community to Imperial College. It will be divided into two talks under the Science in Exile umbrella.
Prof. Brinson’s talk will provide an overview of the emigration from Germany and Austria to Britain of hundreds of refugee scientists in the wake of Hitler’s rise to power in 1933. It will evaluate in particular the contribution made by Imperial College as a body, as well as by its staff and students as individuals, in supporting their displaced colleagues, and examine the additional difficulties faced by the refugee scientists in Britain after the outbreak of war.
Prof. González Redondo’s talk will highlight the contribution of significant Spanish scientists who had naturally integrated in the international scientific movement during the first three decades of the 20th century and found themselves forced into exile from the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1936, continuing their work in the UK in some cases and, in particular, at Imperial College.
Biography
Charmian Brinson is the Director of Language Studies and coordinator of German. She holds a doctorate in German Exile Studies from King’s College London. Her research interests have focussed in particular on German and Austrian Exile Studies, especially on the study of German and Austrian Exiles in Britain between 1933 and 1945. She has published extensively in this area and has given numerous lectures and conference papers on the subject in Britain and abroad. She is a founder member of the Research Centre for German and Austrian Exile Studies at the Institute of Germanic and Romance Studies (School of Advanced Study, University of London), and is a member of the Editorial Board of the Yearbook of the Research Centre for German and Austrian Exile Studies.
Francisco A. González Redondo is Associate Professor of History of Science at Madrid Complutense University. Qualified in Mathematics, he holds a doctorate in Philosophy of Science from Madrid Complutense University, and a doctorate in History of Science from Madrid Polytechnical University. His research interests have focussed in general on the History and Philosophy of Science and Technology, and, in particular, on the study of Spanish scientists’ purges and exiles in France, México and Britain between 1936 and 1975. He has published extensively and has given numerous lectures and conference papers on these subjects in Spain and UK. He is a member of the Association for the Study of Migration and Exile in Contemporary Spain. He is also a member of the Council Board of the Spanish Society for the History of Science and Technology and a member of the scientific board of its journal.