Katie McDonough
@kmcdono.bsky.social
History + DH @ Lancaster University. MapReader, computational history, history of infrastructure and information. Writing a book about people & highways in 18th c. France.
Pinned
Hey! We have two new draft chapters of the Living with Machines book up online for your delectation! One on Mapreader and one on the Environmental Scan. read.uolpress.co.uk/projects/liv...
Living with Machines | University of London Press
*Living With Machines* is a data-driven history of the coming of the machine age in Britain in the long nineteenth century. Featuring an innovative open access edition enhanced with interactive maps, ...
read.uolpress.co.uk
During this period of open peer review of the Living w/Machines book, 2 new chapters are available:
1. MapReader - a deep cut on the epistemological shift it offers for computational map studies
2. Environmental Scan - a method for digital source criticism at scale
#skystorians #dh #maps #histstm
1. MapReader - a deep cut on the epistemological shift it offers for computational map studies
2. Environmental Scan - a method for digital source criticism at scale
#skystorians #dh #maps #histstm
Reposted by Katie McDonough
Join us online on 2 Dec for ‘Old, New, Precarious Data’, the 1st event of the 2025-6 @dh-researchhub.bsky.social seminar series on incompleteness & loss in digital cultural heritage collections. Speakers include @beatricecannelli.bsky.social, @heatherfro.bsky.social, Leontien Talboom & Amelia Acker
Old, New, Precarious Data
Old, New, Precarious Data is the first event of the 2025-2026 DHRH flagship seminar series on incompleteness and loss in digital cultural heritage collections.
www.sas.ac.uk
November 10, 2025 at 12:08 PM
Join us online on 2 Dec for ‘Old, New, Precarious Data’, the 1st event of the 2025-6 @dh-researchhub.bsky.social seminar series on incompleteness & loss in digital cultural heritage collections. Speakers include @beatricecannelli.bsky.social, @heatherfro.bsky.social, Leontien Talboom & Amelia Acker
These posts are gold. They directly show how we already have massive documentation from REF impact case studies re: the value of disciplinary expertise in the real world. We can all dig up local examples and publicize them with political leaders & in communities.
What's lost when we lose staff, departments, programmes and faculties in Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, and what's that got to do with organ donation?
Amid the looming losses faced by Cardiff, Edinburgh, Lancaster, Leicester and Nottingham (among many others), here's a worked example. 1/8
Amid the looming losses faced by Cardiff, Edinburgh, Lancaster, Leicester and Nottingham (among many others), here's a worked example. 1/8
The organ donation ‘opt-out’ has been a fatal failure | The Observer
observer.co.uk
November 10, 2025 at 8:08 PM
These posts are gold. They directly show how we already have massive documentation from REF impact case studies re: the value of disciplinary expertise in the real world. We can all dig up local examples and publicize them with political leaders & in communities.
Reposted by Katie McDonough
'Members of the University and College Union...are unhappy about the threat of compulsory redundancies, as the university seeks to cut 400 full-time posts as part of efforts to save £30m, amid rising costs and a fall in international student numbers.'
"are unhappy about" an existential crisis?
"are unhappy about" an existential crisis?
Lancaster University staff to start industrial action over job cuts
The university is looking to save £30m amid rising costs and a fall in international student numbers.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 10, 2025 at 8:48 AM
'Members of the University and College Union...are unhappy about the threat of compulsory redundancies, as the university seeks to cut 400 full-time posts as part of efforts to save £30m, amid rising costs and a fall in international student numbers.'
"are unhappy about" an existential crisis?
"are unhappy about" an existential crisis?
Reposted by Katie McDonough
That's just the tip of this iceberg. Citizen research, enhanced archival practice, better-informed health care professionals and co-produced museum exhibitions all feature in this Impact Case Study.
We lose more than Humanities when we lose university Humanities research. Humanity & policy. 4/4
We lose more than Humanities when we lose university Humanities research. Humanity & policy. 4/4
November 10, 2025 at 12:39 PM
That's just the tip of this iceberg. Citizen research, enhanced archival practice, better-informed health care professionals and co-produced museum exhibitions all feature in this Impact Case Study.
We lose more than Humanities when we lose university Humanities research. Humanity & policy. 4/4
We lose more than Humanities when we lose university Humanities research. Humanity & policy. 4/4
Reposted by Katie McDonough
What's more "The coal industry and its workers, via Friendly Societies, Trade Unions and Mutual Aid societies, were innovative in responding to disability via sickness benefits, provision of medical care and assistive technologies." Food for thought for today's policy-makers? 3/4
November 10, 2025 at 12:39 PM
What's more "The coal industry and its workers, via Friendly Societies, Trade Unions and Mutual Aid societies, were innovative in responding to disability via sickness benefits, provision of medical care and assistive technologies." Food for thought for today's policy-makers? 3/4
Reposted by Katie McDonough
If Britain is 'sliding "into economic crisis over £85bn sickness bill', what can UK Arts, Humanities & Social Science research tell us about alternative pathways?
Swansea University historians have some excellent answers. 1/4
@torstenbell.bsky.social @bphillipsonmp.bsky.social
Swansea University historians have some excellent answers. 1/4
@torstenbell.bsky.social @bphillipsonmp.bsky.social
Britain sliding 'into economic crisis' over £85bn sickness bill, ex-John Lewis boss warns
The number of people who are out of work for health reasons has grown by 800,000 since 2019.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 10, 2025 at 12:39 PM
If Britain is 'sliding "into economic crisis over £85bn sickness bill', what can UK Arts, Humanities & Social Science research tell us about alternative pathways?
Swansea University historians have some excellent answers. 1/4
@torstenbell.bsky.social @bphillipsonmp.bsky.social
Swansea University historians have some excellent answers. 1/4
@torstenbell.bsky.social @bphillipsonmp.bsky.social
Reposted by Katie McDonough
At a time when humanities and social science courses are facing severe cutbacks I’ll be mounting a defence of them and their role in shaping a better future at this lecture at De Montfort University on 27 November. All welcome
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/shaping-a-...
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/shaping-a-...
Shaping a Brighter Future
The first event in our Vice-Chancellor’s Distinguished Lecture Series, delivered by Hetan Shah, Chief Executive, The British Academy
www.eventbrite.co.uk
November 10, 2025 at 7:26 PM
At a time when humanities and social science courses are facing severe cutbacks I’ll be mounting a defence of them and their role in shaping a better future at this lecture at De Montfort University on 27 November. All welcome
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/shaping-a-...
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/shaping-a-...
Lovely videos from @bucksarchives.bsky.social showing value of archival work. ALSO a perfect demonstration of why older traditional NLP approaches to Named Entity Recognition (NER) fail in historical contexts where people and place are not always mutually exclusive, nor easily distinguishable.
November 10, 2025 at 10:32 AM
Lovely videos from @bucksarchives.bsky.social showing value of archival work. ALSO a perfect demonstration of why older traditional NLP approaches to Named Entity Recognition (NER) fail in historical contexts where people and place are not always mutually exclusive, nor easily distinguishable.
Reposted by Katie McDonough
What's lost when we lose staff, departments, programmes and faculties in Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, and what's that got to do with organ donation?
Amid the looming losses faced by Cardiff, Edinburgh, Lancaster, Leicester and Nottingham (among many others), here's a worked example. 1/8
Amid the looming losses faced by Cardiff, Edinburgh, Lancaster, Leicester and Nottingham (among many others), here's a worked example. 1/8
The organ donation ‘opt-out’ has been a fatal failure | The Observer
observer.co.uk
November 10, 2025 at 10:10 AM
What's lost when we lose staff, departments, programmes and faculties in Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, and what's that got to do with organ donation?
Amid the looming losses faced by Cardiff, Edinburgh, Lancaster, Leicester and Nottingham (among many others), here's a worked example. 1/8
Amid the looming losses faced by Cardiff, Edinburgh, Lancaster, Leicester and Nottingham (among many others), here's a worked example. 1/8
Reposted by Katie McDonough
There are hundreds and hundreds of similar examples in the REF Impact Case Studies and Environment statements from 2014 and 2021 of contributions such as this--to medicine, science, social policy, mental health & wellbeing, culture & more. They're local, regional, national & international. 7/8
Impact database : Results and submissions : REF 2021
results2021.ref.ac.uk
November 10, 2025 at 10:10 AM
There are hundreds and hundreds of similar examples in the REF Impact Case Studies and Environment statements from 2014 and 2021 of contributions such as this--to medicine, science, social policy, mental health & wellbeing, culture & more. They're local, regional, national & international. 7/8
Reposted by Katie McDonough
How aware is/are your MP(s) of what your local universities deliver beyond taught programmes? Little in political debate or media suggests that their understanding is high. Perhaps it's time to add tutorials with worked examples to the mix, before it's too late. ICSs offer easy starting points. 8/8
November 10, 2025 at 10:10 AM
How aware is/are your MP(s) of what your local universities deliver beyond taught programmes? Little in political debate or media suggests that their understanding is high. Perhaps it's time to add tutorials with worked examples to the mix, before it's too late. ICSs offer easy starting points. 8/8
Join us next week on Nov 12, 12pm UK time, online to hear from @ehameeteman.bsky.social on "Reimagining Desalination through Digital Archives" at the Lancaster-Manchester Environmental DH Seminar.
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/reimaginin...
#envhum #dh
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/reimaginin...
#envhum #dh
Reimagining Desalination through Digital Archives
Join us for a discussion with Elizabeth Hameetman (TU Berlin)
www.eventbrite.co.uk
November 7, 2025 at 3:35 PM
Join us next week on Nov 12, 12pm UK time, online to hear from @ehameeteman.bsky.social on "Reimagining Desalination through Digital Archives" at the Lancaster-Manchester Environmental DH Seminar.
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/reimaginin...
#envhum #dh
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/reimaginin...
#envhum #dh
Reposted by Katie McDonough
📣📣 PRIZE 📣📣
The International Society for the History of the Map (ISHMap) is pleased to invite nominations and self-nominations for its Prize for Projects in Map History.
Details: ishmap.com/prize-for-pr...
@kparkerhistorian.bsky.social
The International Society for the History of the Map (ISHMap) is pleased to invite nominations and self-nominations for its Prize for Projects in Map History.
Details: ishmap.com/prize-for-pr...
@kparkerhistorian.bsky.social
Prize for Projects in Map History 2026
The International Society for the History of the Map (ISHMap) is pleased to invite nominations and self-nominations for its Prize for Projects in Map History. The ISHMap Prize in for Pr…
ishmap.com
November 4, 2025 at 3:14 PM
📣📣 PRIZE 📣📣
The International Society for the History of the Map (ISHMap) is pleased to invite nominations and self-nominations for its Prize for Projects in Map History.
Details: ishmap.com/prize-for-pr...
@kparkerhistorian.bsky.social
The International Society for the History of the Map (ISHMap) is pleased to invite nominations and self-nominations for its Prize for Projects in Map History.
Details: ishmap.com/prize-for-pr...
@kparkerhistorian.bsky.social
Reposted by Katie McDonough
Historians here: Anyone up for joining a panel on early modern translation practices in science and medicine with me and the wonderful Sare Arıcanlı? It’ll be for the 2026 ESHS–HSS Joint Meeting in Edinburgh. Let me know!
November 6, 2025 at 9:28 PM
Historians here: Anyone up for joining a panel on early modern translation practices in science and medicine with me and the wonderful Sare Arıcanlı? It’ll be for the 2026 ESHS–HSS Joint Meeting in Edinburgh. Let me know!
Reposted by Katie McDonough
We're hiring in history of science at UW Madison! TT Assistant Professorship with a focus on water. Joint appointment between the History and Integrated Liberal Studies depts, and part of a university-wide hiring cluster on earth/sustainability science. jobs.wisc.edu/jobs/profess... #STS #HSMT
Professor of History - Madison, Wisconsin, United States
Current Employees: If you are currently employed at any of the Universities of Wisconsin, log in to Workday to apply through the internal application process.Job Category:FacultyEmployment Type:Regula...
jobs.wisc.edu
November 6, 2025 at 7:37 PM
We're hiring in history of science at UW Madison! TT Assistant Professorship with a focus on water. Joint appointment between the History and Integrated Liberal Studies depts, and part of a university-wide hiring cluster on earth/sustainability science. jobs.wisc.edu/jobs/profess... #STS #HSMT
Reposted by Katie McDonough
Compulsory team teaching on every module is perhaps the biggest ever threat to the quality of teaching in UK universities.
It causes chaos on the ground for timetabling, ruins course coherence and turns lecturers into permanent supply teachers. It is pedagogically incoherent… 1/
It causes chaos on the ground for timetabling, ruins course coherence and turns lecturers into permanent supply teachers. It is pedagogically incoherent… 1/
November 6, 2025 at 6:57 AM
Compulsory team teaching on every module is perhaps the biggest ever threat to the quality of teaching in UK universities.
It causes chaos on the ground for timetabling, ruins course coherence and turns lecturers into permanent supply teachers. It is pedagogically incoherent… 1/
It causes chaos on the ground for timetabling, ruins course coherence and turns lecturers into permanent supply teachers. It is pedagogically incoherent… 1/
Reposted by Katie McDonough
If you missed yesterday's wonderful Deswarte Prize seminar - ' (Fe)male Voices on Stage: Finding Patterns in Lottery Rhymes of the Late Medieval and Early Modern Low Countries with and without AI' - it is now on the @ihr.bsky.social Digital History Seminar youtube channel youtu.be/iwT7PRy-eQs?...
Marly Terwisscha van Scheltinga, Sara Budts, and Jeroen Puttevils: (Fe)male Voices on Stage
YouTube video by IHR Digital History Seminar
youtu.be
November 5, 2025 at 8:38 AM
If you missed yesterday's wonderful Deswarte Prize seminar - ' (Fe)male Voices on Stage: Finding Patterns in Lottery Rhymes of the Late Medieval and Early Modern Low Countries with and without AI' - it is now on the @ihr.bsky.social Digital History Seminar youtube channel youtu.be/iwT7PRy-eQs?...
Reposted by Katie McDonough
'Academic futures are never secure. They're not even futures.'
Or something.
Or something.
“Four years ago, we suffered an earlier redundancy programme that we were told would secure the future of the university. That clearly was not true."
#UKHE
www.leicester.news/university-o...
#UKHE
www.leicester.news/university-o...
University of Leicester moves forward with plans to cut 150 jobs
A 'large number of staff' across several schools could be impacted
www.leicester.news
November 5, 2025 at 8:06 AM
'Academic futures are never secure. They're not even futures.'
Or something.
Or something.
Reposted by Katie McDonough
Whoa Rebecca Lawrence has resigned as Chief Executive of @britishlibrary.bsky.social. Sorry that this might mean more turmoil at an institution that is a critical part of UK research infrastructure
www.bl.uk/about/press/...
www.bl.uk/about/press/...
British Library Board statement
The British Library Board has announced that Rebecca Lawrence has stepped down as Chief Executive.
www.bl.uk
November 4, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Whoa Rebecca Lawrence has resigned as Chief Executive of @britishlibrary.bsky.social. Sorry that this might mean more turmoil at an institution that is a critical part of UK research infrastructure
www.bl.uk/about/press/...
www.bl.uk/about/press/...
Reposted by Katie McDonough
Turns out this news was in the public domain yesterday but no one has covered it as far as I can tell. Does no one care about our national library anymore? It was much the same with the cyberattack. If this was a bit of 'science' infrastructure can you imagine?
www.pcs.org.uk/news-events/...
www.pcs.org.uk/news-events/...
British Library chief executive quits midway through PCS strike
The British Library has been thrown into further turmoil midway through a two-week PCS strike with the resignation of its chief executive Rebecca Lawrence.
www.pcs.org.uk
November 4, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Turns out this news was in the public domain yesterday but no one has covered it as far as I can tell. Does no one care about our national library anymore? It was much the same with the cyberattack. If this was a bit of 'science' infrastructure can you imagine?
www.pcs.org.uk/news-events/...
www.pcs.org.uk/news-events/...
Reposted by Katie McDonough
At least @timeshighered.bsky.social have written up the story
www.timeshighereducation.com/news/british...
www.timeshighereducation.com/news/british...
British Library chief executive quits amid strike action over pay
National library chief Rebecca Lawrence will be replaced by interim head Jeremy Silver with immediate effect
www.timeshighereducation.com
November 4, 2025 at 5:11 PM
At least @timeshighered.bsky.social have written up the story
www.timeshighereducation.com/news/british...
www.timeshighereducation.com/news/british...
Reposted by Katie McDonough
Have you put out a map exhibition, digital map tool, a map teaching resource, and other map project that isn’t a traditional publication? Submit it to win a prize!! #maps #skystorians 🗃️
📣📣 PRIZE 📣📣
The International Society for the History of the Map (ISHMap) is pleased to invite nominations and self-nominations for its Prize for Projects in Map History.
Details: ishmap.com/prize-for-pr...
@kparkerhistorian.bsky.social
The International Society for the History of the Map (ISHMap) is pleased to invite nominations and self-nominations for its Prize for Projects in Map History.
Details: ishmap.com/prize-for-pr...
@kparkerhistorian.bsky.social
Prize for Projects in Map History 2026
The International Society for the History of the Map (ISHMap) is pleased to invite nominations and self-nominations for its Prize for Projects in Map History. The ISHMap Prize in for Pr…
ishmap.com
November 4, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Have you put out a map exhibition, digital map tool, a map teaching resource, and other map project that isn’t a traditional publication? Submit it to win a prize!! #maps #skystorians 🗃️
📣📣 PRIZE 📣📣
The International Society for the History of the Map (ISHMap) is pleased to invite nominations and self-nominations for its Prize for Projects in Map History.
Details: ishmap.com/prize-for-pr...
@kparkerhistorian.bsky.social
The International Society for the History of the Map (ISHMap) is pleased to invite nominations and self-nominations for its Prize for Projects in Map History.
Details: ishmap.com/prize-for-pr...
@kparkerhistorian.bsky.social
Prize for Projects in Map History 2026
The International Society for the History of the Map (ISHMap) is pleased to invite nominations and self-nominations for its Prize for Projects in Map History. The ISHMap Prize in for Pr…
ishmap.com
November 4, 2025 at 3:14 PM
📣📣 PRIZE 📣📣
The International Society for the History of the Map (ISHMap) is pleased to invite nominations and self-nominations for its Prize for Projects in Map History.
Details: ishmap.com/prize-for-pr...
@kparkerhistorian.bsky.social
The International Society for the History of the Map (ISHMap) is pleased to invite nominations and self-nominations for its Prize for Projects in Map History.
Details: ishmap.com/prize-for-pr...
@kparkerhistorian.bsky.social
Reposted by Katie McDonough
Brilliant seeing @lscholz.bsky.social commended by @ihr.bsky.social Digital History Seminar's 2025 Richard Deswarte Prize in Digital History for his article:
"The Atmosphere in Spatial History: Digital Evidence and Visual Argument" in our next issue
ihrdighist.blogs.sas.ac.uk/2025/09/2025...
"The Atmosphere in Spatial History: Digital Evidence and Visual Argument" in our next issue
ihrdighist.blogs.sas.ac.uk/2025/09/2025...
2025 Richard Deswarte Prize in Digital History - Digital History Seminar
We are delighted to announce that the 2025 Richard Deswarte Prize in Digital History is awarded to Marly Terwisscha van Scheltinga, Sara Budts, and Jeroen Puttevils (University of Antwerp) for their a...
ihrdighist.blogs.sas.ac.uk
November 4, 2025 at 8:49 AM
Brilliant seeing @lscholz.bsky.social commended by @ihr.bsky.social Digital History Seminar's 2025 Richard Deswarte Prize in Digital History for his article:
"The Atmosphere in Spatial History: Digital Evidence and Visual Argument" in our next issue
ihrdighist.blogs.sas.ac.uk/2025/09/2025...
"The Atmosphere in Spatial History: Digital Evidence and Visual Argument" in our next issue
ihrdighist.blogs.sas.ac.uk/2025/09/2025...
Reposted by Katie McDonough
Don’t forget to submit your proposals for #ichc2026! Who wouldn’t want to talk about #maps in Prague?
Abstracts due 14 November! #skystorians 🗃️
Abstracts due 14 November! #skystorians 🗃️
ichc2026.org
November 3, 2025 at 10:03 PM
Don’t forget to submit your proposals for #ichc2026! Who wouldn’t want to talk about #maps in Prague?
Abstracts due 14 November! #skystorians 🗃️
Abstracts due 14 November! #skystorians 🗃️