Austria has a remarkable history of science, and its global historical dimension is largely unexplored. The thematic platform established in 2021 examines the legacy of Austrian history-of-science research in a global context, from the late 18th century to the present day. This endeavour will be supported by members and staff of various OeAW institutes, as well as the OeAW Archive: the most important archival resource for the history of science in Austria. Our primary goal is to increase the international visibility of Austrian history of science by pooling OeAW resources and cooperating with relevant institutions in Austria. Interdisciplinary research is carried out cooperatively in the form of OeAW-funded and third-party-funded projects.

current projects

• Continuity and Transformation: the Austrian Academy of Sciences, 1918, 1938 and 1945
• Scientific Reappraisal of the History of the Education, Science and Research Ministry in the 20th and 21st Centuries.
• Ferdinand von Hochstetter: New Zealand Diaries
• Ferdinand von Hochstetter Novara Research Diary
• The Vienna and Prague Academies in the Research Landscape of the “Third Reich”
• European History of Academies Research Initiative
• ÖAW-Summer-School. Habsburg Knowledge in its Global Settings. How to Rethink the Global History of Knowledge-Making from a Central Europan Point of View?