Heather Dron

Heather Dron is an Associate Project Scientist at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), specializing in the history of medicine and public health. Her research focuses on pregnancy, prenatal care, infant disability, and the ethical implications of eugenics and genetics in reproductive health. She holds a PhD in the history of health science from the University of California San Francisco (2016) and was a former fellow at the Stanford Center for Biomedical Ethics. Her work critically examines how scientific methodologies and public communication shape understandings of teratogenic exposures, birth defects, and reproductive justice.

Her research interests include maternal bodies, reproductive autonomy, and disability studies, with a focus on California's historical and ethical frameworks for genetics and eugenics. She employs mixed methods to analyze patient experiences, consent, and autonomy in reproductive health interventions, particularly in the context of eugenic sterilization and genetic counseling.

Her recent publications span historical analyses of mid-20th century environmental research on birth defects to contemporary studies on Latinx communities' experiences with genetic testing. She highlights the interplay between epistemic uncertainties and societal norms in defining health outcomes.

While no formal awards or grants are listed, her work bridges historical scholarship with modern ethical dilemmas in medicine and public health. She is affiliated with UCLA's Institute for Society and Genetics (ISG), focusing on interdisciplinary research at the intersection of science, ethics, and society.