Kathleen S. Murphy

Kathleen S. Murphy is a Professor in the History Department at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) and currently serves as the Associate Dean for Student Success in the College of Liberal Arts. She previously chaired the History Department (2017–2021) and held roles as Administrative Fellow and Graduate Program Director in the College of Liberal Arts. Her research focuses on the intersection of science and slavery in the Atlantic World, particularly the exploitation of the British slave trade for natural history specimen collection. She holds a PhD from Johns Hopkins University.

Education:

• PhD in History, Johns Hopkins University
• MA in History, Johns Hopkins University
• BA in History, University of Virginia

Research Interests:

• History of Science and Natural History
• Slavery and its legacies in the Atlantic World
• Colonial America and Early Modern Collecting Practices
• Interplay between scientific knowledge and exploitation in transatlantic contexts

Her book Captivity's Collections (2023) demonstrates how slave trade routes facilitated scientific specimen acquisition for British institutions. Her work bridges environmental, colonial, and scientific histories.

Awards include the John M. Murrin Prize (2012) for Ecosystems under Sail, Cal Poly's President’s Community Service Award (2011), and NSF funding (2015–2018). She has held fellowships at the Huntington Library, American Philosophical Society, and ACLS.

Teaching focuses on colonial America, African American history, and science history. Courses include the Scientific Revolution, Atlantic World science, and museum studies. She advises senior projects and internships in historical research.