Missionary Scientists: Jesuit Science in Spanish South America, 1570-1810

Acknowledgments

ix acknowledgMents a s with most projects, I would have never been able to carry this book to completion without the help, support, and encouragement of friends, colleagues, and institutions. This book has its origins in the Modern and Classical Languages Department at the University of Connecticut. Osvaldo F. Pardo patiently taught me how to read colonial Latin American texts and how to ask questions of them. His sharp reading and critical skills, his sense of humor, and our shared love of South American music have formed the basis of a friendship that goes beyond the merely academic. Benjamin Liu, Rosa Helena Chinchilla , Miguel Gomes, and David Herzberger all took a keen interest in my career and research, and, more importantly, offered my family and me their friendship upon our arrival in this country. Rolena Adorno, at Yale University, has always shown an interest in my work and has provided me with advice and encouragement throughout the years. My initial archival research in South America was generously funded by the Modern and Classical Languages Department and the University of Connecticut Humanities Institute. Ricardo Landeira, the chair of the Spanish and Portuguese Department at the University of Colorado at Boulder, freed me from teaching responsibilities during the spring semester of 2008, which allowed me to pursue additional research in South America and to finish my writing. I would also like to thank the University of Colorado’s College of Arts and Sciences for awarding me the 2010 Kayden Research Grant. In Chile, the personnel of the Archivo Nacional were always courteous and extremely willing to grant me my often-unreasonable requests, respecting my time constraints. Their efficiency has turned the Archivo into a model institution, where it is a pleasure to conduct research. I would especially like to thank Liliana Montesinos at the Biblioteca Nacional’s Salón de investigadores, who went out of her way to find me obscure books and to make sure I could receive microfilm copies even after my return to the United States. Father Eugene Rooney, S.J., generously gave me his time and help in searching the Chilean Jesuit archives and databases in Santiago. x Missionary Scientists At CU-Boulder, I found the perfect place to bring this project to completion. Here, in an intellectually stimulating climate, numerous friends and colleagues engaged my ideas in fructiferous dialogues. I especially thank John Slater for all the great conversations during which many of the arguments advanced in this book first took shape, and for humoring my coffee addiction. Julio Baena, Juan Pablo Dabove, Peter Elmore, Leila Gómez, and Mary Long all read chapters of the manuscript. Their comments and lucid criticism were key to improving those chapters. Elizabeth Robertson, former director of the CU Center for Medieval and Early Modern Studies, also gave me her unwavering support. This book was written on time stolen from Magdalena, my daughter. To her I dedicate this book, como te prometí, hija. Missionary scientists ...