1. Scientific Societies

2. The Royal Society of London
Middle 17th century
From ‘invisible college’ of natural philosophers who were influenced by Francis Bacon’s New Atlantis
Abandon authority and appeal only to empirical evidence

3. Group of 12 formed a club for ‘Promoting the Physico-Mathematical Experimental Learning’
28 November 1660
Meet weekly to discuss scientific topics and conduct experiments
Nullius in Verba

4. Founded as a formal society after the Restoration
Charles II granted royal charter 1662 and 1663 and called The Royal Society of London
To be the scientific advisor to the king

5. Agendas of meetings included
Reports: oral or written
Discussions
Experiments: Robert Hooke first Demonstrator of Experiments

6. Formal members known as fellows (FRS as a title)
Early members physicians and independently-wealthy upper class
1843 members admitted only on basis of scientific merit
Led to the profession of scientist

7. Journal Publications
First issue of Journal des Scavans and Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society in 1665

8. First record of peer review by Henry Oldenburg, founding editor of Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society in 1665

9. Types of Scientific Societies
Interdisciplinary
Royal Society
American Association for the Advancement of Science
American Institutes of Biological Sciences
National Academy of Sciences
Regional
Northeasten Naturalist Association
New England Botanical Club
Pennsylvania Academy of Science
Disciplinary
American Society of Mammalogists
Phycological Society of America
Society for Freshwater Science

11. Cost of publication supported by
Membership dues
Journal subscriptions
Page charges
Thousands of scientific journals
Rise of electronic publishing

12. Other forms of communications: Scientific Meetings
Abstracts
Posters
Presentations
Seminars
Special publications