معرفی
Kara Swanson is Professor of Law and Affiliate Professor of History at Northeastern University's School of Law, with expertise in intellectual property law, gender and sexuality, and the history of science, medicine, and technology. Her research explores intersections of legal history, science, and social equality, supported by grants from the Mellon Foundation, National Science Foundation, and Lemelson Center. She has authored influential works on the patent system's role in American nationhood and citizenship, including her 2014 book Banking on the Body: The Market in Blood, Milk and Sperm in Modern America (Harvard University Press).
- Education: PhD in History of Science (Harvard, 2009), JD (UC Berkeley, 1992), MA in Molecular Biology (UC Berkeley, 1988), BS in Biochemistry (Yale, 1987)
- Roles: Former Berger-Howe Fellow (Harvard Law School), former Associate Professor (Drexel University School of Law)
Research Focus: Swanson investigates how legal frameworks shape societal perceptions of invention, particularly through the lens of marginalized groups. Her current project, Inventing Citizens: Race, Gender, and Patents, analyzes how women and African Americans used patent systems to assert political and social equality.
Scientific Recognition: She has received multiple awards, including the History of Science Society's Rossiter Prize, the Society for the History of Technology's honors, and Lemelson Center fellowships. Her work bridges legal history, bioethics, and science policy.
Contributions: Swanson's scholarship spans law reviews, peer-reviewed journals, and monographs. She also clerked for federal judges, practiced intellectual property law, and combines her scientific training with humanities research.
