Lorraine Daston

Prof. Lorraine Daston is a distinguished scholar in the history and philosophy of science. She serves as Director and Scientific Member at the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science (since 1995), and Honorary Professor at Humboldt University, Berlin (since 1997). Her career includes professorships at Harvard, Princeton, Brandeis, Göttingen University, and the University of Chicago. She has held visiting roles at Harvard and the University of Chicago.

Education: BA (summa cum laude) in History and Science from Harvard (1973), Diploma in History and Philosophy of Science from Cambridge (1974), PhD in History of Science from Harvard (1979).

Research focuses on the history and epistemology of science, cultural and intellectual history of knowledge, and interdisciplinary studies at the intersection of science and philosophy. Her work emphasizes long-term historical perspectives and global contexts.

Awards include the Pfizer Award (History of Science Society) and Germany’s Order of Merit. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a member of multiple national academies.

She has directed research programs and collaborated with international institutions. Her leadership includes overseeing the Max Planck Institute’s interdisciplinary initiatives.