Dissertation student: Douglas Hemken; Topic: "Farmers, Scientists, and Boundary Work: The Origins of Agricultural Science" Mr. Hemken, under the direction of Dr. Kloppenburg, is undertaking an historical study of the variation in farmers' and scientists' conceptualization of `science' and its relationship to agriculture. In US history, agricultural research and agricultural improvement went through far-reaching social transformations. As experiments and improvements ceased to be the province of individual farmers and instead became the product of professional researchers employed by state and federal governments, the manner in which `science' was defined was crucial in justifying transformations. Drawing upon agricultural periodicals, agricultural society transactions, state experiment station reports, and US Department of Agriculture publications, this study traces how `science' and `farming' were characterized, and how these characterizations were used to establish social boundaries and scientific institutions.
