History of science and technology

1. Professional Profile

The department of Science and Technology History of Northwest A&F University was founded in 1952 by the Ancient Agriculture Research Group initiated by Professors Xin Shuzhi, Shi Shenghan and Xia Weiying. In 1956, approved by the Ministry of Agriculture, it was upgraded to the Ancient Agriculture Research Laboratory of Northwest Agricultural College. As a major institution for "sorting out the agricultural heritage of China", it was one of the earliest specialized agricultural history research institutions in China. In 1999, the Institute of Chinese Agricultural History and Culture was merged with the Forestry History Research Office of Northwest Forestry University (approved by the Ministry of Forestry in 1982). In 2008, it was approved as the key research base of Philosophy and social Sciences in Shaanxi Province (universities). In 2016, it was approved as the Key Laboratory of Traditional Agricultural Heritage of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. After nearly 70 years of development, it has formed a basic structure of one library (Library of Rare Ancient Books), one museum (Museum of Chinese Agricultural History), one base (key research base of Philosophy and Social Sciences of Shaanxi Province (universities), and one key laboratory (Key Laboratory of Traditional Agricultural Heritage of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs).

At present, the department has 16 full-time teachers, including 4 professors, 8 associate professors, 4 lecturers, 15 doctors, 3 doctoral supervisors and 8 master supervisors. In addition, there is also one member of the Expert Committee of the Chinese Program of Global Important Agricultural Heritage (GIAHS), one evaluation expert of the History Group of the National Social Science Fund, one member of the History Teaching Steering Committee of the Higher Education Steering Committee of the Ministry of Education, and six vice presidents or council members of provincial and ministerial level or above societies.

2. Core courses

History of Chinese science and technology, history of world science and technology, theory and method of science and technology history, History of Chinese agriculture, collation and research of agricultural historical documents, history of Chinese agricultural civilization, history of science and technology and culture exchange, agricultural science and technology and social development, agricultural cultural heritage, etc.

3. Employment direction and prospects

Graduates are widely employed in the party and government departments, public institutions and research institutes. Since 2016, a number of graduate students continued to study in RenMin University of China, Nankai University, Sun yat-Sen University, Nanjing University, Wuhan University, Shandong university, Nanjing Agricultural university and Northwest A&F University.