Elaine Ayers

Elaine Ayers is a Lecturer in History of Science and Medicine at Yale University, holding a PhD from Princeton University. Her research explores:

• Natural history practices in 18th–19th century colonial contexts
• Intersections of scientific collection and colonial violence
• Cultural politics of botanical knowledge (e.g., tropical botany, moss studies)

She integrates hands-on methodologies like scientific illustration and microscopy into teaching, bridging arts and sciences. Her public scholarship appears in Slate and The Public Domain Review.

Research support includes grants from NEH, NSF, and the New York Botanical Garden.