Mark Paterson

Mark Paterson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Pittsburgh. His research focuses on the history and science of bodily sensation, blindness, technologies of the senses, and the role of embodiment in human-robot interactions. He has authored several influential books, including The Senses of Touch: Haptics, Affects and Technologies (2007), Seeing with the Hands: Blindness, Vision and Touch After Descartes (2016), and co-edited Touching Place, Spacing Touch (2012). His forthcoming book How We Became Sensorimotor: Movement, Measurement, Sensation (2021) explores sensorimotor frameworks in interdisciplinary contexts.

Paterson’s work bridges humanities and social sciences, engaging with interdisciplinary themes such as sensory perception, disability studies, and the intersection of technology and human experience. He actively participates in academic events, including a recent performance session titled The Direction of Ease, which explores touch therapy, dance, and performance art.

No scientific awards are explicitly mentioned in the text. His academic contributions include book publications and engagement with cutting-edge research topics like embodiment in human-robot interaction. No grants or advising roles are detailed here.