[PHILOS-L] Call for Abstracts: How do we make progress in science? Metascience and community (NAM, Birmingham, July 20-24, 2026)

[Sara L. Uckelman]

CAUTION: This email originated outside of the University. Do not click links unless you can verify the source of this email and know the content is safe. Check sender address, hover over URLs, and don't open suspicious email attachments.

Call for Abstracts: How do we make progress in science? Metascience and
community

Panel at the National Astronomy Meeting, July 20-24, 2026, Birmingham,
https://sluckelman.webspace.durham.ac.uk/nam2026/

How do scientific communities make progress? In astronomy, progress is
often associated with new facilities, larger datasets, and more
computing power. Yet advances also depend on less visible factors: how
communities are organised, working conditions, and environments that
enable serendipity, creativity, risk-taking, and collaboration.
Ultimately, research is done by people.

Surveys of researchers have shown that unsupportive research
environments stifle creativity and hinder progress. This recognition is
reflected sector-wide through the rebranding of Research Excellence
Framework (REF) 2028/29, which introduces Strategy, People and Research
Environment, explicitly placing people at the centre of progress and
increasing its weighting to 20%.

We are inviting abstract proposals from astronomers, philosophers,
historians, sociologists, ethnologists, artists, Science and Technology
Studies scholars, and any other relevant area on any issue connected to
one of our four broad themes:

* how progress is recognised and assessed
* how progress in astronomy is shaped not only by data and
technology, but by also research environments, community structures, and
emerging tools
* how different types of research environments enable or constrain
innovation
* how AI reshapes epistemic practices and community dynamics.

Abstract submission: Please submit your abstracts via this form:
https://forms.cloud.microsoft/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=z8oksN7eQUKhXDyX1VPp8_D1137LL05Imvy5L5ccfk5UOFNHR0tVSVJPTk5YVjE4NU1YN0RQT0RLTS4u&route=shorturl
Deadline: April 2, 23:45
Panel organizers: Sara L. Uckelman (Durham), Dave Alexander (Durham),
and Ulrike Kuchner (Nottingham).
For more info: Email Sara at s.l.uc...@durham.ac.uk

--
Prof. Sara L. Uckelman
Department of Philosophy
Durham University
https://sluckelman.webspace.durham.ac.uk/

Philos-L "The Liverpool List" is run by the Department of Philosophy, University of Liverpool https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/philosophy/philos-l/

Messages to the list are archived at http://listserv.liv.ac.uk/archives/philos-l.html. Recent posts can also be read in a Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/PhilosL/

Follow the list on Twitter @PhilosL. Follow the Department of Philosophy @LiverpoolPhilos

To sign off the list send a blank message to philos-l-unsub...@liverpool.ac.uk.