Katherine Duncan

Katherine Duncan is a Research Fellow at the University of Cambridge's Department of History and Philosophy of Science. She holds an MSci in Physics and Philosophy from the University of Bristol and an MPhil in History and Philosophy of Science from Cambridge. Her research focuses on the history of electrical science, science education methodologies, and the philosophical underpinnings of materials science. She has contributed to interdisciplinary projects examining historical scientific practices and the evolution of scientific knowledge.

Her work bridges historical analysis with contemporary educational practices, as seen in her outreach efforts such as writing for Jargonium on science education models and speaking on BBC Radio Cambridge's Naked Scientists podcast. Katherine has been recognized with prestigious awards including the Royal Institution Freer Fellowship and the Gerda Henkel Stiftung Scholarship, which supported her research on topics like electrolysis and historical scientific instruments.

In terms of advising and grants, she has held multiple grants including the Sir Richard Stapley Educational Trust and Cambridge-based scholarships. While no current students or labs are explicitly listed, her academic contributions align closely with departmental initiatives in the history of science and technology, including projects on the Darwin Correspondence and the Vesalius Census. Her research often explores how scientific theories and instruments shaped 19th-century understandings of natural phenomena.