As part of the quadricentennial of Samuel de Champlain’s exploration of Lake Champlain, Champlain College in Burlington, Vermont is hosting an international academic symposium on July 2-5, 2009. Scholars from the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences are invited to participate.

The theme, “When the French Were Here,” invites the broadest possible consideration of Samuel de Champlain’s achievements, his life, and of his world as a cultural, social and ideological context.

Scholars wishing to participate should submit an abstract of no more than 200 words, along with a CV by October 1, 2008. Papers to be read will be of fifteen to twenty minutes in length, roughly two thousand words. After the conference, the papers read will be collected and published as conference proceedings.

Abstract submission information can be found online.

The conference hopes to encourage talks from a variety of perspectives that examine Samuel de Champlain and the lake that bears his name. Paper topics might include (but are not limited to):

* Life and achievements of Samuel de Champlain
* France at the time of Samuel de Champlain
* Exploration of the New World — background
* Navigation history
* Military history
* Social history
* Maps and mapmaking
* Contact of civilizations
* Previous centennial celebrations
* “New France” and “New England”
* History, geology and culture of Lake Champlain