Prof. Dr. Michel Janssen

Profile

Academic positionFull Professor
Research fieldsHistory of Science,Theoretical Philosophy
Keywordsscientific methodology, theory change, history of quantum theory, history of relativity theory

Current contact address

CountryUnited States of America
CityMinneapolis
InstitutionUniversity of Minnesota
InstituteSchool of Physics and Astronomy

Host during sponsorship

Prof. Dr. Jürgen RennMax-Planck-Institut für Wissenschaftsgeschichte, Berlin
Start of initial sponsorship01/07/2016

Programme(s)

2016Humboldt Research Award Programme

Nominator's project description

Professor Janssen is one of the world’s leading historians of physics. He has made groundbreaking contributions to the history of relativity as well as quantum physics and is also widely recognized as an original philosopher of science. His work is seen as an example of how to combine rigorous historical work with far-reaching epistemological questions. In Germany, Professor Janssen will work on a monograph on a new model for scientific theory change using the metaphor of arches and scaffolds.