Jessica Riskin

Jessica Riskin is the Frances and Charles Field Professor of History in the Department of History at Stanford University's School of Humanities and Sciences. She received her B.A. from Harvard University (1988) and her Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley (1995). Prior to joining Stanford, she taught at MIT, Iowa State University, and Sciences Po, Paris.

Her research spans early modern science, Enlightenment science, politics and culture, history of scientific explanation, history of artificial life, and the Science, Technology, Environment, and Medicine field. Her work examines the intersection of scientific thought with cultural and political contexts, with particular focus on debates between mechanism and vitalism in biological thought. She has made significant contributions to understanding how concepts of artificial life have evolved from the 18th century to the present.

Her publications reveal a consistent interest in how scientific explanations develop within specific historical contexts. Her work shows increasing focus on biological mechanism versus vitalism, with her most recent book The Restless Clock examining centuries-long debates about how living things function. Her articles span from Enlightenment scientific practices to contemporary philosophical debates in biology and cognitive science.

• American Historical Association's J. Russell Major Prize for best book in English on any aspect of French history
• Patrick Suppes Prize in the History of Science from the American Philosophical Society (2021)

Riskin has established herself as a leading scholar in the history of science with particular expertise in Enlightenment scientific thought and the history of biological concepts. Her work bridges historical scholarship with contemporary philosophical debates about the nature of life and scientific explanation. While specific grant information isn't provided in the available texts, her prestigious awards indicate significant research support throughout her career. She has built an influential body of work that continues to shape discussions in the history and philosophy of science.