Dr. Mark A. Tovey

- Observatory Curator, Cronyn Observatory
- Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of History

photo of Mark Tovey
PhD, Carleton, 2011
Email: mark@uwo.ca
Mark Tovey on LinkedIN

Research Interests

Professor Tovey studies the history of astronomy and space travel, with a special interest in the material culture of astronomical instruments, models, and art. He is the curator of the Cronyn Observatory. He also works on the development of online projects involving digital platforms, partnering in the award-wining Hear Here London.

Major Research Projects

Hume Cronyn Memorial Observatory

As Curator of the Cronyn Observatory, Professor Tovey designed three period rooms as permanent exhibits in the observatory: a 1940s-era observatory director's office (2015), a 1960s-era control room (as it might have appeared in Western's Elginfield Observatory) (2017), and a 1940s-era observatory workshop (2018). 

Books Edited

(2023). A Cosmic Treasury - Seeing the Skies Through Poets Eyes. Eds. B Welling & M Tovey. 
London, ON, Canada: Cronyn Observatory.

Exhibitions

(2023). Exhibition of artifacts and interpretive panels, Ontario Science Centre, Toronto

(2023). Exhibition of artifacts and interpretive panels, Fanshawe Pioneer Village

(2022). Canada Going (Back) to the Moon, Cronyn Observatory

(2022). Visiting exhibition of artifacts and interpretive panels, Fanshawe Pioneer Village

(2019). Astronomical Stories, Visiting exhibition artifacts with specially designed interpretive panels, Canada Life Auditorium.

(2019). Space Day. Physics and Astronomy Building Atrium.

(2018-). 1940s-era observatory workshop, Cronyn Observatory.

(2017-). 1960s control room in the Cronyn Observatory,

(2017-2020). Display of artifacts from the Cronyn Observatory.

(2015-). 1940s era office in the Cronyn Memorial Observatory for the 75th Anniversary of the Cronyn Observatory, based on a photograph of a 1940s Cronyn Observatory office I uncovered. The Period Room is now a permanent exhibit in the Observatory. Cronyn Observatory, Western University, London, ON, October 24.

Related Talks

(2024). The Lost Manuscript of Cronyn Obseratory. Annual General Assembly, Royal Astronomical Society of Canada.

(2024). The Astrolabe: There's an App for That. Cronyn Observatory.

(2022). The Astronomical Models of W. G. Colgrove. Adirondack Astronomy Retreat, July 26.

(2022). John Harris Mapping the Great Lakes using a Telescope and re-enactment of H.R. Kingston radio talk adding digitized lantern slides, Fanshawe Pioneer Village, Apr 29.

(2022). Tour of the Artifacts in the Observatory Director's Office, Royal Astronomical Society of Canada General Assembly, June 25.

(2022). Dresden Meteorite, "Do Look Up" special event at the Cronyn Observatory, Jan 29.

(2021). A Cosmic Treasury, Royal Astronomical Society of Canada London Centre, Aug 20

(2021). Canada’s Contribution to the Apollo Moon Landing. Science Rendezvous, May 8. On shared bill with JJ. Kavelaars, Ian Shelton, Rob Weryk, and David H. Levy.

(2021). A Cosmic Treasury, Global Star Party, Dec 21

(2019). Canada’s Contribution to the Apollo Moon Landing. July 20th, Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11 Landing, at Cronyn Observatory, Western University.

(2019). W.G. Colgrove and the Dresden Meteorite. June 30, Asteroid Day Event for the Centre for Planetary Science and Exploration, at Cronyn Observatory, Western University.

(2018). W.G. Colgrove and the Dresden Meteorite. Asteroid Day. June 30. 

(2015). Re-enactment, with period slides, of observatory director H.R. Kingston's speech from the official opening of the Cronyn Observatory on October 25th, 1940. 75th Anniversary of the Cronyn Memorial Observatory, Cronyn Obseratory, Western University, London, ON, Oct 24, 25 2015.

(2015). "The Cronyn Observatory Sundial Cannon and John Davis Barnett." Royal Astronomical Society of Canada London Centre, Fanshawe College, London, ON. June 19.

(2015). Talk on the use of astronomical observation for map-making in the 19th Century. Eldon House Interpretive Centre. London, ON. April 12.

Oral History of London, Ontario neighbourhoods

Professor Tovey is conducting an oral history of the neighbourhoods near Oxford and Richmond in London, ON, and developing engaging ways to tell the stories of those neighbourhoods online. Research themes include an understanding of how institutions and notable structures shaped the neighbourhood, and the role played by sites of social interaction.

Exhibits

(2019). Hear Here London. Launched April 27.

(2018). Richmond Row Stories. London Life Auditorium. Doors Open London. September 16.

(2017). Neighbourhood Stories. London Life Auditorium. Doors Open London. September 17.

Related Talks

(2019). Hear, Here: Story on a Street Sign. Annual General Meeting. St. George-Grosvenor Neighbourhood Association. Aug 23.

(2019). A Simple Stroll for the Imagination. Hear, Here London Launch Event. April 27.

(2019). with M. Hamilton. Hear Here: Audio interpretive signs in Great Talbot, The Village, and SOHO. London Advisory Committee on Heritage. March 13.

Related Talks

(2018). Stories of a Shopping Street: The Village. Kiwanis Seniors' Community Centre. Aug 23.

(2018). Heritage Interpretive Sign on the Richmond Village. London Advisory Committee on Heritage. July 11.

(2018). Hellmuth Boys College Interpretive Sign. London Advisory Committee on Heritage. June 13.

(2018). with M. Hamilton. Hear Here. London Advisory Committee on Heritage. May 9.

(2018). Telling Neighbourhood Stories. Geolocating History in the St. George-Grosvenor-Piccadilly Neighbourhood. Department of History, Western University.

(2017). Oral History of the St. George-Grosvenor-Piccadilly Neighbourhood. Annual General Meeting of the Grosvenor Gate Community Assocation, Grosvenor Gate, London, ON, June 9.

(2016). St. George-Grosvenor: HCD, Oral History, and Heritage Signs. Annual General Meeting of the St. George Grosvenor Neighbourhood Assocation, Advanced Medical Group Building, London, ON, May 4.

(2015). "St. George-Grosvenor: Birthplace of Institutions." City of London Community Information Meeting, King's College, Western University, November 4.

(2015). "St. George-Grosvenor: Birthplace of Institutions." Guest lecture for History 9800 course. Western University, London, ON, September 16.

(2015). "St. George-Grosvenor: Birthplace of Institutions." Joint session of London and Middlesex Historical Society and London Architectural Conservancy of Ontario, London, ON, April 15.

(2014). "St. George-Grosvenor." London Advisory Committee on Heritage (LACH). July 9.

(2014). "St. George-Grsovenor." Community Meeting, King's College, Western University, June 24.

Select Publications

Books

(hardcover 2012; paperback, 2015). The Reputation Society: How Online Opinions are Reshaping the Offline World. Eds.H Masum & M Tovey. Boston: MIT Press.

(2008). Collective Intelligence: Creating a Prosperous World at Peace. Ed. M. Tovey. EIN Press.

Book Chapters

(2012). With H. Masum and Y. Zhang. "Building the reputation society." Masum, H., & Tovey, M., eds The Reputation Society: How Online Opinions are Reshaping the Offline World. Boston: MIT Press, xv - xxi.

(2008). "Editor's Preface". Collective Intelligence: Creaing a Prosperous World at Peace. Tovey, M., ed. Collective Intelligence: Creating a Prosperous World at Peace. Oakton, VA: EIN Press, xxi - xxiv.

(2008). "Mass Collaboration, Open Source, and Social Entrepreneurship." Tovey, M., ed.

(2008). With H. Masum, H., Scaling Up Open Source Problem Solving. Tovey, M., ed. Collective Intelligence: Creating a Prosperous World at Peace. Oakton, VA: EIN Press, 485 - 494.

Refereed Journal Articles

(2018). with H. Masum. Goals for Algorithmic Genies. First Monday, 23:2, February.

(2014), with C. Herdman. "Seeing Changes:How Familiaritiy Alters Our Perception of Change." Visual Cognition 22:2, 214 - 238. doi:10. 1080/13506285.2014.894167

(2012). with S. Chandrasekharan. 'Sum, quorum, thether:Design principles underlying external representations that promote sustainability.' Pragmatics and Cognition 20:3, 447-482.

(2006). with H. Masum. Given Enough Minds....Bridging the Ingenuity Gap. First Monday, 11:7, July. (Reprinted in Nonprofit Online News Journal, November 2006, 19-58.)

Awards and Distinctions

(2020). Public Education and Engagement Award, Architectural Conservancy Ontario, Oct 5, with A Beaujot and M Hamilton.

(2020). Canadian Society for Digital History (CSDH/SCHN) Outstanding Contribution Award. May 4, with Hear Here London team.

(2019). Community Heritage Investment Program (CHIP) grant, London Heritage Council, with Royal Astronomical Society of Canada London Centre.

(2018). Community Heritage Investment Program (CHIP) grant, London Heritage Council, with Royal Astronomical Society of Canada London Centre.

(2016-2018). MITACS Accelerate Grant for the Oral History St. George-Grosvenor-Piccadilly neighbourhood

Public History Experience

Over the past few years I researched and produced two historical plays which recreate London ON's early theatrical history. I have given plenaries on London theatrical history and theatrical re-enactment to the Canadian Museums Association annual conference, and to the Canadian Creative Cities conference. I keynoted Forward Into the Past, have lectured on Garrison Theatre at Eldon House, and have been invited annually to give guest lectures to graduate public history classes at Western University.

As an actor, I have been called upon by Eldon House to play John Harris (the person who built Eldon House in 1834), and Wenman Wynniatt (the Eldon House ghost), including giving speeches as John Harris at Fanshawe Pioneer Village, at Eldon House's 180th Anniversary Celebration, and before London City Council. I have since become the Vice Chair of the Eldon House Board of Directors, and chair of the Collections Commitee at Eldon House. In 2015, I produced an evening of historical stargazing on the Eldon House lawn, allowing over fifty visitors to view Jupiter's moons through replicas of historical instruments.