Nicole Ivy

Nicole Ivy is an Assistant Professor of American Studies at The George Washington University, specializing in racial formations, cultural memory, and the labor of representation. Her interdisciplinary work bridges Black Studies, feminist theory, and histories of science and medicine.

• Education: Ph.D. and M.A. in African American Studies (Yale University), M.Phil in American Studies, B.A. in English with Honors (University of Florida)

Her research focuses on the intersection of slavery, medical history, and bodily commodification. Her monograph Materia Medica examines the exploitation of enslaved Black women in 19th-century gynecological experiments. She also explores surveillance narratives and strategic foresight in global racialized contexts.

Recent publications include analyses of medical imaginaries, diversity labor, and museum practices. She has received grants from the Ford Foundation, McNeil Center for Early American Studies, and University of Notre Dame.

• Scientific Awards: Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and American Council of Learned Societies Public Fellow, Institute of Museum and Library Services Fellow, Ford Foundation support

Nicole Ivy also served as the inaugural Director of Inclusion for the American Alliance of Museums, advocating for equitable futures in arts organizations.