معرفی
Michael Bycroft is an Associate Professor in the History of Science and Technology at the University of Warwick, affiliated with the Department of History within the Faculty of Arts. He is actively involved in multiple research centers, including the History of Science and Technology Hub, the Global History and Culture Centre, the Early Modern and Eighteenth Century Centre, and the Centre for the History of Medicine. His office is located in Room 3.75 of the Faculty of Arts Building, and he holds regular office hours during term time.
Education:
- PhD in History and Philosophy of Science, University of Cambridge (2010–2013)
- MA in History and Philosophy of Science, University of Toronto (2007–2008)
- BA in History and Philosophy of Science, University of Canterbury, New Zealand (2003–2005)
- BSc in Physics and Mathematics, University of Canterbury, New Zealand (2006)
Bycroft's research centers on early modern science, particularly in France and the Enlightenment, with a unique focus on gems, material culture, and the interplay between science and connoisseurship. His current book, Gems and the New Science: Matter and Value in the Scientific Revolution, forthcoming in 2026 with the University of Chicago Press, reframes scientific change through the lens of precious stones. He also explores the history of evaluation, rococo aesthetics, and the global circulation of knowledge. His work bridges art, science, and philosophy, emphasizing empirical methods and interdisciplinary inquiry.
His recent publications reveal a consistent engagement with material epistemology, scientific institutions, and Enlightenment thought. Themes across his articles include the role of objects in knowledge production, the sociology of scientific practice, and the cultural valuation of natural phenomena. He frequently examines how material substances—such as mineral waters, varnishes, and crystals—were studied, classified, and commercialized, reflecting broader shifts in scientific methodology and economic thought.
Scientific Awards and Recognition:
- Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship (2014–2017)
Bycroft has supervised and mentored students in history, philosophy of science, and interdisciplinary research, though specific names are not listed. He has secured competitive research funding through fellowships and institutional support. His public engagement includes consultancy with the DIVA Diamond Museum (Antwerp), contributions to public-facing journals such as the Los Angeles Review of Books, and a long-running research blog. He has also contributed to educational outreach, including writing for A-level students and reviewing popular science books.
He is currently working on three major projects: a defense of empiricism in the humanities, a survey of material evaluation in eighteenth-century Europe, and a study of pounamu (New Zealand jade) in the history of global knowledge. These projects extend his interest in cross-cultural material epistemology and the entanglement of science with colonial and indigenous knowledge systems.
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