The scientist was also a “key figure” in ideas about education for all, and was the vice president of the Mechanics Institute in the city.
Friends with prominent city landscape painter, Frederick Henry Henshaw, the pair went on sketching and photographing visits together, Ms Gane explained.
Shaw’s scientific work earned praise from Michael Faraday, and he lectured at the Royal Society on photographic techniques.
“I think he’s been forgotten about because of the breadth of his work, as an artist, chemist and photographer,” Ms Gane said.
Her PhD work was trying to understand the contribution Shaw made to early photography and manufacturing and industry in Birmingham.