Standards in Society: A Critical 

Curricular Platform

Drexel University Dept. of History

Amy Slaton

Tiago Saraiva

Sharon Ku

Scott Knowles
Summer Institute:

“Standards in Society”

Philadelphia, PA

July 12-25, 2015

Supported by:

NIST

Drexel University 

College of Arts & Sciences
Summer Institute:

“Standards in Society”

Philadelphia, PA

July 12-25, 2015

Supported by:

NIST

Drexel University 

College of Arts & Sciences

Special thanks to Kristen Frederick-Frost (NIST) & 

Jim Olshefsky (ASTM)
Summer Institute:

• An immersive, critical workshop at the 

doctoral level...seminar, panels and field trips

• 10 Humanities, Social Science and STEM 

students from 7 universities (5 nations) 

working with 15 visiting experts

• Historical, cultural and geopolitical factors 

shaping standards and their use

ASTM Headquarters, 

Conshohocken, PA

NIST Library, 

Gaithersburg, MD

1918 Manayunk Bridge, 

Philadelphia, PA

Academy of Natural Sciences, 

Philadelphia PA
Case #1: AD-X2 Battery Additive

• A site of controversy: Does NBS 

expertise guarantee neutrality?

• Who is an expert? NBS engineers, 

academic scientists, amateurs?

• Conflicting interests, “alternative” 

science and standards, and 

suspense in this seemingly 

mundane material case 
Case #2: Stone Test Wall, 1880-?

• Pathways of scientific knowledge 

production....what will be standardized?

• Pathways can close....The vital role of 

institutional resources

• What counts as science? As culture? 

And who decides?
Case #3: ISO Nano documentary 

standards
• The power of document: What 

enables documents to possess 

the agency of governance? 

• Science for/as diplomacy: 

Whose consensus, and how to 

harmonize international 

differences?

• Standardization and game 

theory: How to play the dice?

What the Students Said:

• “I came away from the institute with an 

appreciation for the process of standards 

development and how I can explore those 

processes in my research and teaching”

• “Invaluable....With the sole purpose of 

learning, experimenting with, and 

challenging all things standards, the 

experience impressed us with an 

opportunity to start new discussions on 

standardization.”
Challenges and Lessons:

• An immense topic: How do we 

select our cases and questions to 

serve multiple disciplines?

• A difficult position: Critical 

historical analyst or contributing 

contemporary expert?...Posing 

questions or providing 

answers?....Can (should?) we do 

both? 
Yes!: Through the Study of 

Standards, a New Place for 

Humanities and Social Sciences in an 

Industrial World:

• Real-time engagement with standards 

production...

• Raising questions about interests and 

evidence, engaging with complexity...

• Leads to more reflexive standardsmaking, supporting a more democratic 

process
Plans and Opportunities:

• “Standards In Society” syllabi (grad and 

undergrad) now under construction (Drexel 

and beyond)
Plans and Opportunities:

• “Standards In Society” syllabi (grad and 

undergrad) under construction

• Drexel’s new Master’s in Transnational History 

of Science, Technology and Environment

• “The Maintainers” conferences, grants and 

Special Interest Group (Soc. for the Hist. of 

Tech.) with Stevens Institute (Russell, Vinsel)

• Grants underway: NSF and CCK Foundation

• Participation: ANSI, ISO and others