Jia Yu

Jia Yu is a Research Fellow at the Needham Research Institute, affiliated with the Department of History and Philosophy of Science at the University of Cambridge. Their research focuses on the history of science in China, particularly the 19th and 20th centuries, with an emphasis on natural history, medicine, and the global dissemination of scientific knowledge. Jia explores how scientific disciplines like psychology and physics were institutionalized in China through periodicals, missionary activities, and political movements.

Research Interests

• History of Science in China
• Colonial and Postcolonial Science
• Science-Religion Interactions
• Print Culture and Periodicals
• Globalization of Knowledge Systems

Key Contributions

Jia’s work analyzes the transformation of knowledge practices in China, such as the role of missionary networks in introducing physics and instruments, and the Soviet influence on psychology curricula during the early PRC. Their research bridges the gap between local and global histories of science.