The Department was created as a centre of excellence for science and technology studies by a joint effort of the University of Amsterdam and the Dutch Government in 1982. In 1987, it was given the right to award its own M.Sc.
While a cohesive unit in terms of departmental commitment and goals, the faculty consists of about a dozen members drawn from a variety of specialised fields. Many have been trained in both the field of their methodological expertise and in the particular area of science on which their research is focused.
Areas of specialization include:
The department has 22 members, including PhD students.