Object
of study

CIRST is Canada's main interdisciplinary cluster of researchers studying the historical, social, political, philosophical and economic dimensions of science and technology. Our work aims to advance our knowledge of these areas, and to help apply them to policies as well as to the resolution of timely societal issues that have an important scientific or technological component.

Background
and status

The Centre brings together over 40 researchers from a dozen different institutions and a wide variety of disciplines, such as history, sociology, political science, philosophy, economics, management and communications. Located on the main campus of the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), CIRST is recognized as a research unit by UQAM, the University of Montreal and the University of Sherbrooke. It was created in 1986 with the support of the "Actions structurantes" programme of the Quebec Ministry of Education and, since 1997, has been identified as a "strategic cluster" by the Fonds québécois de recherche sur la société et la culture.

Mission

CIRST's mission is twofold: a) To perform interdisciplinary research on the transformations and the roles of science in contemporary societies; b) To train young researchers.

OST and
Research Chairs

CIRST also hosts the Observatoire des sciences et des technologies (OST), an organization devoted to the measurement of science, technology and innovation. Since its inauguration in 1997, the OST has constructed several databases which allow researchers to develop various indicators of the evolution of scientific research –  such as publications, patents, grants and contracts – and perform quantitative analyses of the dynamics of the Canadian and Quebec systems of research. These databases are also the source of multiple analysis requests from universities, granting agencies and ministries (at the federal and provincial levels). The OST regularly publishes information on the state of their research in the Observation S&T

• The Canada Research Chair on the Management of Technology  (Jorge Niosi),
• The Canada Research Chair in the History and Sociology of Sciences  (Yves Gingras),
• The Canada Research Chair in the Philosophy of Logic and of Mathematics   (Mathieu Marion),
• The Canada Research Chair in the Environmental History of Quebec  (Stéphane Castonguay),
• The Canada Research Chair on the Socio-Organizational Challenges of the Knowledge Economy  (Diane-Gabrielle Tremblay),
• Concordia University Research Chair  (Jean-Philippe Warren)

Funding

The CIRST operates thanks to the financial support of the three main universities listed above and thanks to the "Strategic clusters" programme of the Fonds québécois de recherche sur la société et la culture . In addition, researchers at CIRST have access to grants and contracts from various Canadian and Quebec institutions (the complete list can be found in CIRST's annual reports).