Cathryn Carson

Cathryn Carson is a Professor in the Department of History at the University of California, Berkeley. Her work bridges the philosophical, cultural, and political dimensions of 20th-century science, with a focus on theoretical physics, nuclear history, and the integration of social sciences and humanities into engineering education.

Education:

• AB in History and Philosophy of Science from University of Chicago (1990)
• AM in Physics from Harvard University (1993)
• PhD in History of Science from Harvard University (1995)

Her research explores the interplay between science and philosophy, particularly in Germany and the U.S., alongside the institutionalization of data science. She teaches graduate and undergraduate courses, including Berkeley’s Data Science major’s Human Contexts and Ethics of Data course.

Scientific Awards:

• Berkeley Collegium Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Education (2017)
• Distinguished Service Award, Division of Social Sciences (2014)
• Carol D. Soc Distinguished Graduate Student Mentoring Award (2014)
• Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
• Fellow of the American Physical Society
• Mellon New Directions Fellowship
• NSF CAREER Award
• Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Research Fellowship
• Member, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton

Carson has served in multiple leadership roles, including Associate Dean of Social Sciences, founding Interim Director of the D-Lab (Social Science Data Laboratory), and Faculty Lead of Berkeley’s Data Science Education Program. She is currently accepting students for advising and contributes to campus governance through roles in the Academic Senate.