The congress, at a glance
Five figures behind the 53rd ICOHTEC Annual Meeting, converging on Alexandroupolis this October.
Special events
Four gatherings beyond the panel rooms — where the congress becomes a shared table, a night out, and a trip into Thrace. Tap any event for the full details.
Welcome to ICOHTEC 2026
The 53rd Annual Meeting of the International Committee for the History of Technology (ICOHTEC) will take place in Alexandroupolis, Greece, from 8–11 October 2026. Hosted by Democritus University of Thrace and particularly by the Laboratory of Technologies, Research & Applications in Education and the Department of Medicine together with the Ethnological Museum of Thrace, the conference brings together researchers from around the world to explore the role of technology in shaping human societies.
This year’s theme, “Engaging the History of Technology. Bridging Disciplines and Perspectives for Global Challenges” invites critical reflection on how technological histories intersect with today’s global challenges — from climate change and environmental injustice to political polarisation and artificial intelligence. By bridging methodologies, disciplines, and perspectives, the conference aims to highlight how understanding technological pasts is essential for navigating contemporary issues.
Maurice Daumas Prize (ICOHTEC Article Prize)
The International Committee for the History of Technology (ICOHTEC) is pleased to announce the 2026 Maurice Daumas Prize, which recognises outstanding and innovative scholarship in the history of technology and its relations to science, society, economy, culture, and the environment.
Eligibility
- Open to scholars currently in graduate school or who received their PhD within the last seven years
- Original article published between 2024 and 2026
- Article published in a journal or edited volume
- Submissions accepted in one of ICOHTEC’s official languages
Submission & Award
- Submission deadline: 22 March 2026
- Submission materials: Article + brief CV
-
Send to:
Prize Committee Chair, Antoni Roca-Rosell
antonirocarosell@gmail.com - Winner notified: Late June 2026
-
Prize: €500, awarded at ICOHTEC’s 53rd Annual Meeting
Alexandroupolis, Greece (8–11 October 2026)
Turriano ICOHTEC Prize
The Turriano ICOHTEC Prize is an Early Career Prize for book-length works in the history of technology, sponsored by the Juanelo Turriano Foundation. The prize amounts to €2,500, and the winning book will be presented and discussed at a special session of the next ICOHTEC symposium.
Scope & Eligibility
- Original book-length works in the history of technology
- Eligible languages: English, French, German, Russian, Spanish
- Eligible formats: published or unpublished PhD dissertations, or other monographs
- Not eligible: articles and edited anthologies
- If a PhD thesis: accepted by the awarding university in 2024 or 2025
- If a published monograph: publication year 2024 or 2025
Submission Details
- Submission deadline: 15 June 2026
- Electronic copy (PDF or Word) to be sent to each Prize Committee member
- Hard copies accepted only for published works not available electronically
- Include an abstract (max. half-page)
- Include a CV (indicating date of birth) and, if applicable, a list of publications
- For works in Spanish or Russian, please include a summary in English, French, or German (approx. 4,500 words)
- Additional references or reviews may be submitted optionally
Prize Committee
- Dr. Darina Martykánová (Chairperson), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain — darina.martykanova@uam.es
- Dr. Klaus Staubermann, German Port Museum, Germany — k.b.staubermann@gmail.com
- Dr. Matti La Mela, Uppsala University, Sweden — Matti.lamela@abm.uu.se
- Dr. Jacopo Pessina, Department of Civilisations and Forms of Knowledge, University of Pisa, Italy — japessina@tiscali.it
Conference Theme:
Engaging the History of Technology. Bridging Disciplines and Perspectives for Global Challenges
The theme of the 53rd ICOHTEC Annual Meeting, “Engaging the History of Technology. Bridging Disciplines and Perspectives for Global Challenges” invites critical reflection on how the history of technology can illuminate contemporary global challenges. Climate change, environmental injustice, political polarisation, and artificial intelligence intersect across historical, cultural, ethical, and technological domains. Understanding how societies have imagined progress, structured power, exchanged knowledge, and interacted with environments offers essential insights for navigating today’s crises.
The conference encourages contributions that bridge methodologies, disciplines, and perspectives—from the everyday and local to the geopolitical and planetary. We welcome work that connects archival practices, digital humanities, material and intangible culture, pedagogy, and public engagement to demonstrate the relevance of technology’s pasts to present and future challenges.
Scientific Topics
ICOHTEC 2026 welcomes contributions that explore the history of technology across diverse places, methodologies, and disciplinary perspectives. Proposed papers, panels, and roundtables may engage with one or more of the following thematic clusters.
The History of Technology
Between the Local, Regional & Global
- Circulation of technologies, expertise, and knowledge across borders
- Adaptation and appropriation of technologies in cultural contexts
- Globalisation vs. localisation in technological change
- Regional networks shaping technological trajectories
- Colonial, postcolonial & decolonial dimensions of technology
- Networks of maintenance and repair
History of Technology,
Historiography & Education
- Methodological innovations in studying the history of technology
- Interdisciplinary approaches & their challenges
- Teaching history of technology in universities & schools
- Public engagement & communicating technological pasts
- Relevance of technology history to policy debates
- Digital humanities & emerging historical scholarship
Intersections with Other
Fields of Historical Study
- Technology & social history: class, labour, gender, daily life
- Technology & cultural history: identity, meaning, representation
- Technology & environmental history: sustainability & ecology
- Technology & economic history: industrialisation & development
- Technology & political history: regulation, governance & power
- Technology & the history of medicine
- Technology & the history of science: instruments, practices, knowledge
- Technology & the philosophy of science: epistemology, values, philosophical accounts of experimentation and modeling
Museums, Cultural Heritage
& Public Engagement
- Material & intangible culture in technological history
- Object-based learning & museum methodologies
- Communicating technological history to diverse publics
- Preservation & interpretation of technological heritage
- Engagement with marginalised ethno-cultural communities
- Museum funding & private technological/industrial interests
Besides papers addressing the conference theme, we welcome contributions from all fields of the History of Technology.
For Panel Sessions, Roundtables, Graduate Student and Early Career Opportunities, please submit your proposals at icohtec2026@gmail.com
Venue & Travel
ICOHTEC 2026 will take place in Alexandroupolis, a coastal city in northeastern Greece, located at the crossroads of Europe and Asia. The conference sessions will be hosted at Democritus University of Thrace, in collaboration with the Ethnological Museum of Thrace and local partners.
Alexandroupolis is accessible by air, rail, and road, with connections to major Greek cities and neighbouring countries. The city offers a range of accommodation options within walking distance or a short ride from the conference venues.
Travelling to Alexandroupolis
- By air: Domestic and international flights to the Alexandroupolis International Airport (AXD), direct or via Athens. Also, via Istanbul Airport; transportation to Alexandroupolis by bus
- By bus: Direct services connect Alexandroupolis with Thessaloniki (approximately 3 hours).
- By car: Road links along the Egnatia Odos corridor.
Staying in the city
- Hotels and guesthouses close to the seafront and city centre.
- Accommodation suitable for different budgets.
- Restaurants and cafés within easy reach of the venues.
Accommodation Options
The following hotels in Alexandroupolis offer special rates for participants of ICOHTEC 2026. Prices are per room per night.
| Hotel | Single Room | Double Room | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aggelos Hotel Alexandroupolis | 95€ | 105€ | Includes breakfast & accommodation tax |
| Nefeli Hotel | 72€ | 85€ | Includes breakfast + 3% accommodation tax |
| Ramada Plaza Thraki | 80€ | 90€ | Includes breakfast / +15€ accommodation tax per night |
| Athina City Hotel | 65€ | 75€ | Includes breakfast +2€ accommodation tax |
| Okeanis Hotel | 65€ | 80€ | Includes breakfast +2€ accommodation tax |
| 31 Doors Hotel | 75€ | 90€ | Includes breakfast +5€ accommodation tax |
Participants are advised to contact hotels directly for reservations and to mention their participation in ICOHTEC 2026 where applicable.
Committees
ICOHTEC 2026 is supported by two main committees responsible for the academic programme and the organisation of the conference in Alexandroupolis.
Programme Committee
University of Stavanger, Norway
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Prof. Graeme Gooday
Professor of History of Science & Technology, University of Leeds -
Dr Cecilia Ibarra
Industrial Civil Engineer, University of Chile -
Dr Henk-Jan Dekker
Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of History, University of Bielefeld, Germany -
Dr Guillermo Guajardo Soto
Senior Researcher, National Autonomous University of Mexico -
Anaïs Walsdorf
PhD Researcher, University of Warwick & Science Museum, London
The committee oversees abstract evaluation and the development of the scholarly programme.
Local Organising Committee
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Prof. Κonstantinos Vadikolias
Professor of Neurology, President of Medical School, Democritus University of Thrace -
Angeliki Giannakidou
President of Ethnological Museum of Thrace -
Prof. Maria Lambropoulou
Professor of Histology-Embryology, Medical School, Democritus University of Thrace -
Dr Anna Batzeli
Democritus University of Thrace and ICOHTEC -
Dr Kyriakos Sgouropoulos
Laboratory Teaching Staff, Democritus University of Thrace -
Dr Achilleas Mitrakas
Post-doc of Histology-Embryology, Medical School, Democritus University of Thrace
Responsible for local coordination, event logistics, and collaboration with partner institutions.
Host Institutions & Partners
