The 2005 Solar World Congress, to be held in Orlando, Florida, August 6-12, 2005, seeks contributors for a special topical section focusing on "The History of Solar Energy and the International Solar Energy Society." Co-sponsors of this topical section include the Society for the History of Technology and the International Committee for the History of Technology.

In 1955, The Association for Applied Solar Energy (AFASE), from which International Solar Energy Society (ISES) had its origin, organized the first AFASE/ISES Symposium on Applied Solar Energy in Arizona. In the same year, AFASE promoted the publication of the first directory of the world's activities and bibliography of significant literature on Applied Solar Energy Research. Published by Stanford Research Institute, it includes about 4,000 references from 26 countries. After 50 years, ISES proposes a special History Session on the occasion of its 50th Anniversary to review the use of solar energy in the past in order to understand its role for the future.

Papers may be submitted for sessions currently being organized and additional sessions may be proposed. Deadline for submissions is October 14, 2004. Session topics currently under consideration include:

1. Solar Energy in Past Civilizations
   1. The Impact on the Biosphere
   2. Technological Developments in Previous Societies
   3. The Early Solar Pioneers and Achievements in the 19th and 20th Century
2. The First International AFASE/ISES Symposium in 1955
   1. The Founding of AFASE and the changes to SES and ISES
   2. ISES' Contribution to the Development of Solar Energy
   3. The Role of National Governments, International Institutions and Non-Governmental Organizations in the development of Solar Energy
3. ISES and the Rise of Solar Energy since the 1970s
   1. Golbal Driving Forces for Solar Energy
   2. The Growing Importance of ISES' National Sections
   3. New National Solar Energy Policies
   4. Diversificatino of Solar Research and Development and Scientific Breakthroughs
   5. First Commercial Producations and Applications
4. Solar Energy and ISES in the 21st Centruy

General Instructions:

Please express interest by contacting Dr. James C. Williams, Chair of the History Section Scientific and Technical Committee, by email.

Deadline for submission of abstracts is October 15, 2004, and notification of acceptance will be December 1, 2004.

The abstract/paper must represent original work, and acceptance of papers for presentation will be based on extended abstracts. Abstracts submitted must be clearly identified on the top of the paper "to be presented at the History Sessions" of the Congress.

All papers submitted for the Conference will have the opportunity for dual submission into the Solar Energy Journal, the official journal of the International Solar Energy Society (ISES). Authors must request that their paper be considered for dual submission. Papers submitted to the SEJ will be peer-reviewed, and some revisions may be required. Submit via email to: solarjrl@mae.ufl.edu.

The History Section Scientific Technical Committee is comprised of James C. Williams, U.S.A., Chair and Vice-President of the International Committee of the History of Technology; Gerhard Mener, Germany; Mana Moran, U.S.A.; John Perlin, U.S.A.; and Anthony Stranges, U.S.A.

Full details about the 2005 Solar World Congress may be found at our website.