May 29 – June 1, 2025

The Society for Industrial Archeology’s 53rd Annual Conference will be held in Buffalo, New York, a city with a robust industrial history on the eastern shore of Lake Erie.

In the span of about fifty years, the small settlement of Buffalo, New York, that was home to fewer than 1,000 residents transformed itself into one of the country’s leading business and manufacturing hubs. The Erie Canal, one of the world’s greatest engineering marvels, breathed new life into Buffalo in 1825 (following its burning by the British in 1812), setting the stage for the city to become an industrial powerhouse throughout the 19th century. Industries like grain, steel, aviation, electric power, and even luxury automobiles helped Buffalo become the 8th largest city in the United States. Buffalo’s national prominence and business acumen even saw international recognition, when it was selected to be the site of a World’s Fair in 1901, the Pan-American Exposition. This dazzling, multi-month event marked Buffalo as a true epicenter of wealth and progress in the United States.  The City of Light, as it was dubbed during the Pan-Am, encapsulated what the “American Dream” truly was. A place where hard work, innovation, and invention transformed a small trading post, into one of the nation’s most influential cities. Owing to this rich history, the SIA is excited to revisit Buffalo for the first time since 1992. The society’s 53rd annual conference, scheduled for May 29 – June 1, 2025, will explore Buffalo’s industry and infrastructure –  both past and present.

Watch this site for more information. SIA members will also receive information and updates via email and the SIA Newsletter.

We look forward to seeing you in Buffalo!

CALL FOR PAPERS

SIA 53rd Annual Conference, Buffalo, New York

The Society for Industrial Archeology invites proposals for presentations and poster displays at the 53rd Annual Conference in Buffalo, New York, May 29 through June 1, 2025. The presentation sessions will be held at the conference hotel, the Hyatt Regency in downtown Bufalo, on Saturday, May 31, 2025.

We invite presentations on all topics related to industrial archeology, industrial heritage, history of technology, social change related to industry, and historic industrial structures and bridges. Papers about regional industries and transportation in Buffalo and Western New York are particularly encouraged – including grain, steel, hydropower and chemical industries.  Of note, 2025 is the 200th anniversary of the Erie Canal. We also encourage presentations on challenges facing industrial heritage and on the contributions made to our field by industrial museums.  Poster displays are also encouraged and may present works in progress or finished projects. All presentations and poster displays should offer both interpretation and synthesis of data.

The deadline for proposals is January 10, 2025.

https://www.sia-web.org/2025-sia-annual-conference-buffalo-new-york/

Presentation Formats: Proposals may be for individual presentations 20 min. in length, a group of three or four presentations on a common theme filling a 90-min. session, a 90-min. panel discussion with 2–5 discussants (a formal moderator is encouraged though optional), or a poster presentation. SIA will provide laptop computers, data projectors, screens, microphones with speakers as needed in each presentation room. Posters will be on display all day Saturday with a dedicated time in the afternoon for poster presenters to be present for discussion.

Proposal Formats: Proposals should be submitted online unless special arrangements have been made. Each proposal must include:

1. The presentation title (you will indicate the type of presentation—single paper, session proposal, or poster—on the submission form)
2. A 300-word abstract that outlines the scope, findings, and conclusions of the presentation
3. Contact information, including name, affiliation (if appropriate), email address, mailing address, and telephone number for each presenter
4. A brief biographical statement of 150 words for each presenter
5. The software (incl. version) used to create your presentation and any additional audio-visual requests beyond the standard equipment listed above

For 90-min. themed sessions or panel discussions, the organizer should submit a session title and a brief description of the theme, along with all above information, together as a group, as prompted on the online submission form. If any of these items is missing, the proposal cannot be considered. Note that the above word counts apply separately to each presenter in a group. All speakers are expected to pay the registration fee (for either the full conference or one-day rate).

For questions please contact:

Marty Johnston
SIA Presentations Committee Chair
Professor of Physics
University of St. Thomas
mejohnston@stthomas.edu

DOWNLOAD CALL AS PDF

SUBMIT AN ABSTRACT USING OUR ONLINE SUBMISSION FORM

Caption for Image Above: Electric power lines in vicinity of west billet yard, 32″ mill view looking southeast – Bethlehem Steel Corporation, Lackawanna Plant, Route 5 on Lake Erie, Buffalo, Erie County, NY.  (HAER Photo)