معرفی
John Waller is an Associate Professor in the Department of History at Michigan State University, affiliated with the College of Social Science and Lyman Briggs College. He has held previous academic roles, including Postdoctoral Fellow at Harvard University and Research Fellow/Part-time Lecturer at University College London (UCL). His teaching includes courses on the history of science and the history and philosophy of science.
Dr. Waller earned his B.A. in Modern History from the University of Oxford, followed by two M.Sc. degrees—one in Human Biology from Oxford and another in History of Science and Medicine from Imperial College London. He completed his Ph.D. in History and Philosophy of Science at University College London (2001). His research focuses on 18th- and 19th-century medical science and society, with a particular emphasis on heredity, eugenics, Victorian science, and mass psychogenic phenomena.
He has authored six books, including Einstein’s Luck (2002), Discovery of the Germ (2004), and The Real Oliver Twist (2005), as well as Breeding: A History of Heredity, Sex and Race (forthcoming from OUP). His work A Time to Dance, A Time to Die (2009) was shortlisted for the Dingle Prize. He currently serves as editor of the history of science and medicine journal Endeavour.
His research interests span the history of medicine, social history, and the intersection of science and culture. His articles and books explore topics such as the germ theory of disease, Victorian-era eugenics, and historical outbreaks like the 16th-century dancing plague in the Holy Roman Empire. His recent works emphasize the historical context of heredity concepts and their societal implications.
- Scientific Awards: Shortlisted for the Dingle Prize (British Society for the History of Science) for A Time to Dance, A Time to Die.
Narrative on advising and grants: Dr. Waller has advised multiple research projects during his career, including roles as a Research Fellow and Postdoctoral Fellow. His grants have supported studies on the history of heredity and eugenics, and he has contributed to collaborative efforts in medical historiography. He currently holds editorial and academic leadership roles without explicitly stated grants in the text.
Labs/Teams: Editor of the journal Endeavour, contributing to scholarly discourse in the history of science and medicine.
