Simone Turchetti

Simone Turchetti is Professor of History of Science and Technology and Chair of the Centre for the History of Science, Technology and Medicine (CHSTM) at the University of Manchester's School of Arts, Languages and Cultures. She serves as President of the European Society for the History of Science (2024-2026) and was previously President of the IUHPST/DHST Commission on Science, Technology and Diplomacy (STAND) (2017-2025).

Her educational background includes a PhD from the University of Manchester (2000-2003) with thesis on Italian Academic Refugees in Britain, an MSc in History of Science, Technology and Medicine from Manchester (1999-2000), and a Philosophy Degree from University of Rome "La Sapienza" (1992-1997).

Turchetti's research centers on science diplomacy, examining how international scientific collaborations build relations between states and international organizations, particularly during the Cold War and post-WW2 periods. Her work spans history of 20th century science and technology, geosciences, nuclear weapons, physics, surveillance, espionage, and radical science movements. She investigates how historical scientific practices inform contemporary issues like climate change and atomic energy policies.

Her recent publications reveal a strong focus on global data inequality, science diplomacy infrastructure, and historical analysis of international scientific collaborations. She examines how geopolitical tensions, particularly during the Cold War, shaped scientific data exchange systems and how these historical patterns continue to influence contemporary global research data networks, with particular attention to North-South divides in scientific infrastructure.

• Teaching Award (2016)
• ERC Starting Grant for TEUS project (The Earth Under Surveillance)
• ERC Advanced Grant for NEWORLD@A project

Turchetti has supervised 10 research projects since 2009, including ERC and ESRC-funded doctoral research on topics ranging from nuclear history to scientific data diplomacy. She leads the NEWORLD@A project (2022-2027), a €2.2 million ERC-funded study on the history of scientific data exchange, which involves international collaboration with research centers in Brazil, China, Czech Republic, and elsewhere. She also coordinates the STAND Commission's scholarly activities, promoting science diplomacy research globally.

Her work with the Centre for the History of Science, Technology and Medicine involves interdisciplinary teams examining the intersection of science, technology, and international relations, with particular focus on how scientific knowledge production has been shaped by geopolitical considerations throughout the 20th century.