What is Bestor?

Belgian Science and Technology Online Resources, or Bestor, is a digital platform that supports the community of historians and philosophers of science in the Low Countries and provides a space for dialogue about their research and activities, both among themselves and with the broader public.

It includes a trilingual collaborative knowledge base with entries, historical sources, and media on Belgian science over the past two centuries. Visitors can find information on prominent and lesser-known scientists, scientific institutions, events, awards, journals, societies, and more. Bestor also serves as the communication platform where historians and philosophers of science share news and activities.

Bestor.be has existed since 2008 as a wiki platform and will be relaunched in 2025 as a Drupal site.

Who is Bestor for?

  1. Community of historians and philosophers of science in the Low Countries: Bestor is their platform for sharing research and activities with each other and an interested audience.
  2. Intermediaries and knowledge mediators: Bestor is a partner for heritage professionals, teachers, journalists, local historians, and documentary or podcast makers to develop lessons, guided tours, lectures, and other activities based on reliable, up-to-date academic information.
  3. Interested public: Bestor is an appealing information point for anyone interested in the history of science in Belgium.

About the Memory

Bestor is an initiative of the National Committee for Logic, History and Philosophy of Science (National Committee), representing Belgian scientists in the fields of logic, history, and philosophy of science. It is one of twenty national committees of RASAB, The Royal Academies for Science and the Arts of Belgium. The National Committee aims to promote research in the history and philosophy of science in Belgium. Bestor.be relies on a part-time scientific collaborator, an advisory board, and a network of historians and philosophers of science in the Low Countries. The platform is financially supported by Belspo, the federal scientific funding agency.

Bestor.be’s texts are interlinked and include metadata. Extensive bibliographies, publication lists, and linked open data guide researchers and students to key sources and literature. Bestor aims to be the primary reference for concise, accessible, and expert information from science studies specialists. A large search bar on the homepage allows searches by scientist or institution name, and filters enable detailed queries.

In addition to biographical entries, Bestor offers well-written stories connecting people and institutions within a broader context, narrating the history of Belgian science. If you are curious about what historians and philosophers of science actually do, or are new to the field as a researcher, student, or mediator, the database contains entries shedding light on the discipline itself. Search under “Science Studies” to discover our predecessors and colleagues.

Communication platform 

Bestor provides a communication platform for job postings, lectures, conferences, calls for papers, new research projects, and articles. Academics and the public can stay informed about Belgian science studies. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you would like to highlight an initiative or publication on Bestor. 

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