James Bergman

James Bergman is a historian of science currently affiliated with Harvard University as a Research Fellow. His work bridges the historical evolution of climate science, economic planning, and data utilization from the New Deal era to the early 1960s. His research critically examines how scientific data, particularly climate data, retains imprints of its original context even as it is repurposed over time.

• Education: PhD in History of Science (implied) from Harvard University, 2014

Research Interests

Bergman’s research focuses on the history of climate science, emphasizing the interplay between data collection, economic planning, and community stability. He investigates how scientists like C.W. Thornthwaite navigated the political economy of data and its reapplication across shifting institutional and societal landscapes. His work critiques the notion of "raw" data by highlighting its embedded historical and contextual traces.

Scientific Awards

• Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship in the Humanities, 2017–2018

Academic Appointments

Bergman previously served as a visiting assistant professor at Lyman Briggs College, Michigan State University, where he focused on the history, philosophy, and sociology of science. His current project, Climate on the Ground: Data, Planning, and the Pursuit of Community Stability in the United States, 1933–1963, is under contract with the University of Pittsburgh Press’s new Intersections series.