Some Scientific and Engineering Societies and Publications

The first scientific society in what became the USA was the American Philosophical Society, which was founded in 1743 under the instigation of Benjamin Franklin. The transactions of the American Philosophical Society began publication in 1771. Up to that time most American scientists published in European journals. In 1757 Benjamin Franklin was made a Member of the Royal Society (London) for his work in electricity [18, E-3]. In 1818 Benjamin Silliman, who has been called the “father of American scientific education,” started publishing the American Journal of Science and Arts (E-9).