Johnston, S.F. (2009) Creating a Canadian profession: the nuclear engineer, c. 1940-1968. Canadian Journal of History: Annales Canadiennes d'Histoire, 44(3), pp. 435-466.
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Abstract
Canada, as one of the three Allied nations collaborating on atomic energy development during the Second World War, had an early start in applying its new knowledge and defining a new profession. Owing to postwar secrecy and distinct national aims for the field, nuclear engineering was shaped uniquely by the Canadian context. Alone among the postwar powers, Canadian exploration of atomic energy eschewed military applications; the occupation emerged within a governmental monopoly; the intellectual content of the discipline was influenced by its early practitioners, administrators, scarce resources, and university niches; and a self-recognized profession coalesced later than did its American and British counterparts. This paper argues that the history of the emergence of Canadian nuclear engineers exemplifies unusually strong shaping of technical expertise by political and cultural context.
| Item Type: | Articles |
|---|---|
| Keywords: | Profession, discipline, nuclear engineering, engineer, Canada science, technology |
| Status: | Published |
| Refereed: | Yes |
| Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: | Johnston, Professor Sean |
| Authors: | Johnston, S.F. |
| Subjects: | F History United States, Canada, Latin America > F1001 Canada (General) T Technology > TK Electrical engineering. Electronics Nuclear engineering J Political Science > JA Political science (General) |
| College/School: | College of Social Sciences > School of Social & Environmental Sustainability |
| Journal Name: | Canadian Journal of History: Annales Canadiennes d'Histoire |
| Journal Abbr.: | Can. J. Hist. |
| Publisher: | University of Saskatchewan, College of Arts and Science, Department of History |
| ISSN: | 0008-4107 |
| Copyright Holders: | Copyright © 2009 University of Saskatchewan |
| First Published: | First published in Canadian Journal of History / Annales Canadiennes d'Histoire 44(3):435-466 |
| Publisher Policy: | Reproduced with the permission of the publisher. |
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