JOSE RAMON BERTOMEU SANCHEZ

JOSE RAMON BERTOMEU SANCHEZ is a Professor in the Department of History of Science at the University of Valencia, affiliated with the Faculty of Medicine and Odontology and the Inter-university Institute López Piñero. He leads research within the HCMT History of Science, Medicine and Technology group, focusing on the cultural, social, and material dimensions of science.

• Education: PhD in History of Science from the University of Valencia (1994), thesis on scientific activity under Joseph Bonaparte, supervised by Dr. Antonio Enrique Ten Ros.
• Postdoctoral Experience: École des Hautes Études (Paris), Yale University, Harvard University, Max Planck Institute (Berlin), Science History Institute (Philadelphia), University of Manchester, University of Lyon, University of Montreal.

His research centers on the history of toxicology, chemistry, and environmental science, with a particular focus on 19th and 20th-century Spain and France. Key themes include the history of pesticides, scientific language, material culture of science, and the construction of ignorance (agnotology). He has published extensively on Mateu Orfila, forensic science, and the role of chemistry in industrial and legal contexts.

The most recent articles reflect a strong trend in environmental history and the history of toxic substances, analyzing cases of slow violence, industrial pollution, and the sociopolitical dimensions of scientific knowledge and ignorance. His work bridges the history of chemistry, medicine, law, and public policy, often with a transnational perspective.

Scientific Awards and Recognition:

• Finalist, Bromera Prize for Scientific Communication (2023)

Advising and Grants: He has supervised doctoral theses and postdoctoral researchers, supported by research grants such as the FPI grant for his doctoral work. His research has been funded through national and international projects, enabling extensive archival work and collaborative publications.

Labs and Teams: He is a core member of the HCMT research group and the Inter-university Institute López Piñero, a leading center for the history of science in Spain. He co-edits the online blog Saberes en acción and organizes public outreach activities, including seminars, lectures, and exhibitions on the history of science.