Dr. Catherine Jolivette, professor of art and design, has been awarded the honor of presenting her professional research at the International Congress of the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine in Manchester, England in July 2013.

The International Congress of the History of Science is the largest event in the field, and takes place every four years (the previous conferences were held in Budapest and Beijing). The theme of the upcoming conference is “Knowledge at Work.” Jolivette will be presenting her paper, “Displays of power: Telling the story of British nuclear physics at the 1951 Festival of Britain.” The paper discusses how artist and designers and the Festival of Britain influence the public’s perception about scientist discoveries at the time.

“I am thrilled to have this chance to participate in such an important international, interdisciplinary conference. My own work in art history has been engaged with the way visual art communicates scientific knowledge for some years now, and both my current book project and my first book “Landscape, Art and Identity in 1950s Britain” cross disciplinary boundaries to address political history, visual culture, cultural geography and the history of science to name but a few fields,” commented Jolivette.

Jolivette has recently finished a book project, “British Art in the Nuclear Age,” set for publication in August 2014. The book addresses the role of art and visual culture in discourse surrounding nuclear science and technology, atomic power, and nuclear warfare in Cold War Britain.