Kate Dorsch

Kate Dorsch, PhD, serves as the Associate Director and PPE Pre-Major Advisor in the College at the University of Pennsylvania. She holds a PhD in History and Sociology of Science from UPenn (2019) and a BA in History from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (2012). Her research interrogates knowledge-making processes, expertise, and trust, with a focus on the history of UFO studies and military-science collaborations. She teaches courses on science and literature, science-religion intersections, and digital democracy.

Her work bridges interdisciplinary domains, including the Foreign Policy article analyzing Cold War-era UFO investigations and a widely shared NPR interview dissecting Pentagon UFO reports. She actively participates in professional societies like the History of Science Society and Philosophy of Science Association.

Her advising philosophy emphasizes undergraduate mentorship, treating students as junior colleagues. While no grants or labs are explicitly noted, her teaching portfolio spans foundational science studies courses to specialized topics like 'Weird Science.' Her affiliated roles include membership in the Undergraduate Advisory Board and Faculty Staff Lecturers group.