Meng Zhang

Meng Zhang is a Wellcome Trust Research Fellow at the Centre for the History of Science, Technology and Medicine (CHSTM) at the University of Manchester, specializing in the history of medicine in modern China with emphasis on public health practices during semi-colonial periods. Her research examines mask-wearing behaviors, colonial medical systems, and transnational health influences in 20th-century East Asia.

Her educational background includes:

• Doctor of Philosophy in History from Peking University People's Hospital (awarded July 6, 2018)
• Bachelor of Science in Physics from Nankai University (awarded July 3, 2012)

Zhang's research interests focus on the historical development of medical practices in semi-colonial China, particularly the social and political dimensions of mask adoption during epidemics. She investigates how colonial encounters shaped dual medical systems, gender dynamics in public health compliance, and the normalization of medical devices like masks. Her interdisciplinary approach bridges history of science, cultural studies, and public health policy analysis, contributing to broader understandings of medical authority and community responses to disease.

Her recent publications reveal consistent thematic focus on mask history across different Chinese historical contexts, from the 1911 Manchurian plague to contemporary pandemic responses. These works demonstrate methodological innovation through comparative analysis of colonial Korea's influence on Chinese medical systems and gendered aspects of voluntary mask adoption without mandates.

Her scientific recognition includes:

• The Jing Brand Scholarships in Chinese Science and Civilisation (2019-2020)
• Wellcome Research Fellowship in Humanities and Social Science (2022)

Zhang serves as Principal Investigator for the active Wellcome Trust project 'Mask-Wearing in Semi-Colonial China: Everyday Medical Device and Its Applications to Governing Chinese, 1912-1949' (2023-2026), examining historical mask usage as governance tools. Her research has generated significant academic engagement, with citations in medical journals and social media discussion across multiple platforms including X and Facebook.