Lyle Fearnley

Lyle Fearnley is an Associate Professor of Anthropology and Associate Head of Cluster (Education) in the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) at Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD). He holds a Joint Ph.D. in Medical Anthropology from the University of California, Berkeley and San Francisco, and a B.A. in Anthropology from Columbia University.

His research focuses on the intersections of science, medicine, and society, particularly in China and Southeast Asia. Key areas include food safety controversies, the social dimensions of zoonotic diseases, and the historical development of global health systems. Notable projects examine wet markets' role in disease transmission, the cultural history of medical face masks, and the epistemology of airborne disease prevention. His book Virulent Zones (Duke University Press, 2020) earned the 2021 Francis L.K. Hsu Book Prize Honorable Mention.

Fearnley’s recent work addresses the ethics of pandemic governance, the agnotology of virology, and Singapore’s transition to a circular economy through waste management reforms. He has been featured in media outlets like Channel News Asia and contributes to global health dialogues through podcasts and academic talks.

• Education: Joint Ph.D. in Medical Anthropology (UC Berkeley/UCSF), B.A. Anthropology (Columbia)
• Awards: 2021 Francis L.K. Hsu Book Prize Honorable Mention, 2021 Falling Walls Science Breakthrough Finalist
• Key Publications: Virulent Zones, 'Beyond Asian Mask Culture,' 'Agnotology of Virology'

His research bridges anthropological theory with policy analysis, emphasizing the socio-cultural dimensions of health crises and infrastructure transitions in modernizing societies.