Perspectives on Science

In Do Less Harm, editors Courtney E. Thompson and Kylie M. Smith bring together a group of leading historians and scholars to confront one of the most pressing questions in health history: How can we ethically approach stories of medicine and health without perpetuating harm? This thought-provoking collection invites readers into a crucial conversation about the responsibilities of historians when...

"Trans and Intersex Health from Past to Future" will bring together academics and activists to explore the history of trans and intersex people’s experiences of health and medicine in a global perspective. The discussion will examine histories of clinical practices, state policy, individual identity, and community making in the United States, and beyond. The panelists will reflect on how these his...

"Medicine Crossing Borders" explores how issues of immigration, medicine, and health have intersected in the past and present. The panelists will discuss policy, public opinion, and medical practices that have shaped immigrant experiences as both patients and as practitioners. They will discuss race, citizenship, and access to care across time and place, and think through how these histories can h...

Federal regulations are typically borne out of crisis. This conversation will examine how policy is set, starting in the Progressive Era and moving into the present day. For more information visit: https://www.chstm.org/perspectives/2025-history-medicine-week#79794

Topics: Think big questions and frame them well; crafting your grant; personal experience. Speakers: Gerardo Ienna is postdoctoral researcher at the University of Verona, Italy, and a Marie Curie global fellow (Grant Number 101026146). Simone Turchetti is Professor in history of science and technology at the Manchester University, UK, and PI of the ERC research project “Neworldata”. Recorded on Ma...

Topics: Should I turn my dissertation into a book?; How to find the right press; how to approach editors; how to outline a book proposal; collective authorship and editing; why book series. Speaker: W. Patrick McCray is Professor at the History Department at the University of California Santa Barbara, USA, and a series editor for Johns Hopkins University Press. Recorded on May 15, 2025. For more i...

Topics: Best practice in communication in teams; different ways of collaboration; are virtual tools a game changer; national styles; are we moving towards “big history”? Discussants: Olival Freire Jr. is Professor in history of science at the Federal University of Bahia, Brazil, and Director of the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development. Roberto Lalli is Assistant Professor...

Topics: Academic vs non-academic jobs; Work-life balance; gender; transition out of academia. Speaker: Arwen Mohun is Professor in history at the University of Delaware, United States. Mohun has coordinated a working group on career diversity at the Consortium for History of Science Technology and Medicine. Recorded on April 10, 2025 For more information visit: https://www.chstm.org/node/79325

Topics include: The nuts and bolts; communication with editors; deadlines; the balance of criticism; how to connect the book-under-review to previous work; why are novel disciplinary perspectives relevant? Speaker: Gleb Albert is Assistant Professor in General and Eastern European History at the University of Luzerne, Switzerland, and experienced book review editor of H-SOZ-KULT. Recorded on Febru...

Christa Kuljian discusses her book, Our Science, Ourselves: How Gender, Race, and Social Movements Shaped the Study of Science. Focusing on a network of female scientists who began to examine women in science, gender and science, and sexism and racism in the institutions of science, Kuljian helps to uncover the early days of feminist science studies. Speaker: Christa Kuljian was a Research Fellow...

Topics include: How to find suitable journals; how to respond to reviews; the role of journals in acdemic discourse; the policies and politics of journals. Discussants: Silvia Figueirôa is Professor at the University of Campinas, Brazil, and has edited several collective volumes. Joseph D. Martin is Associate Professor at Durham University, UK, chair of the editorial board of Historical Studies in...

Topics include: What is oral history; limits and (dis-)advantages; biases; lessons from the practice; what to consider when producing and analyzing interviews; good technologies. Speakers: David Zierler is the Ronald and Maxine Linde Director of the Caltech Heritage Project, USA. Previously, David directed the Oral History Program at the American Institute of Physics. Sara Baum is an oral history...

In this episode of Perspectives, we speak with Benjamin Breen and Jonathan Moreno on the history of psychedelic drugs in America. There is a resurgence of interest in psychedelics in the medical world as possible treatments for conditions such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD. This resurgence comes after a period during which psychedelic drugs were thought to be dangerous and have no medical value...

Join us for a discussion of the history of psychedelic drugs in America. There is a resurgence of interest in psychedelics in the medical world as possible treatments for conditions such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD. This resurgence comes after a period during which psychedelic drugs were thought to be dangerous and have no medical value. An earlier perception was more optimistic. Figures such...

Historians of medicine often express the desire for their work to reach broader audiences; however, popular platforms—be they television, radio, podcasts, corporate or social media—can reach many but touch few. History of Medicine Week is dedicated to exploring the risks, benefits, experiences, and best practices for historians of medicine to make meaningful connections beyond familiar scholarly c...

In October 2022, the University of Pennsylvania HSS Department commemorated it's 50th anniversary, delayed two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Over two days, alumni, faculty, and current students gathered to discuss the department's history, its contributions to the field and new directions scholarship might take. In this episode: Chair: M. Susan Lindee Department Chair, Janice and Julian...

In October 2022, the University of Pennsylvania HSS Department commemorated it's 50th anniversary, delayed two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Over two days, alumni, faculty, and current students gathered to discuss the department's history, its contributions to the field and new directions scholarship might take. In this episode: Introduction by David Cole Science History Institute Modera...

In October 2022, the University of Pennsylvania HSS Department commemorated it's 50th anniversary, delayed two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Over two days, alumni, faculty, and current students gathered to discuss the department's history, its contributions to the field and new directions scholarship might take. In this episode: Chair: Cameron Brinitzer USC-Berggruen Fellow Moderator: Se...

In October 2022, the University of Pennsylvania HSS Department commemorated it's 50th anniversary, delayed two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Over two days, alumni, faculty, and current students gathered to discuss the department's history, its contributions to the field and new directions scholarship might take. In this episode: Chair: Zachary Loeb PhD Candidate, HSS Moderator: Elly Trui...

In October 2022, the University of Pennsylvania HSS Department commemorated it's 50th anniversary, delayed two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Over two days, alumni, faculty, and current students gathered to discuss the department's history, its contributions to the field and new directions scholarship might take. In this episode: Chair: Leah Samples PhD Candidate Moderator: Robert Aronowi...

Historians of medicine often express the desire for their work to reach broader audiences; however, popular platforms—be they television, radio, podcasts, corporate or social media—can reach many but touch few. History of Medicine Week is dedicated to exploring the risks, benefits, experiences, and best practices for historians of medicine to make meaningful connections beyond familiar scholarly c...

Historians of medicine often express the desire for their work to reach broader audiences; however, popular platforms—be they television, radio, podcasts, corporate or social media—can reach many but touch few. History of Medicine Week is dedicated to exploring the risks, benefits, experiences, and best practices for historians of medicine to make meaningful connections beyond familiar scholarly c...

Historians of medicine often express the desire for their work to reach broader audiences; however, popular platforms—be they television, radio, podcasts, corporate or social media—can reach many but touch few. History of Medicine Week is dedicated to exploring the risks, benefits, experiences, and best practices for historians of medicine to make meaningful connections beyond familiar scholarly c...

Join us for a discussion on the history of mining and the intersections of history of science with several other fields. How are mines sites of knowing the world, and how is that knowledge contested? How has our understanding of what a mine is changed over time, and what does that mean for how mines are studied? What can the methods and sources used in studying mines teach us about trends in the h...

Tune in one last time to a bonus episode of The DNA Papers with the authors of "the most beautiful experiment in biology" as they reminisce about "the best years of their lives" and field questions from the commentators of episode 14. Series moderator Neeraja Sankaran was joined by historian of science Kersten Hall to co-host this special treat. Matthew Meselson Harvard University Franklin Stahl U...