Yves Gingras

Yves Gingras is a Professor in the Department of History at the University of Quebec in Montreal (UQAM), where he has taught since 1986 (initially in Sociology before moving to History in 1989). He co-founded the Observatoire des sciences et des technologies (OST) in 1997 and serves as its Scientific Director. Gingras held the Canada Research Chair in History and Sociology of Science (2004-2018) and directed the Centre interuniversitaire de recherche sur la science et la technologie (CIRST) from 2001 to 2005.

He holds a Master's in Physics from Université Laval and a doctorate in History and Socio-politics of Science from the University of Montreal (1984). His postdoctoral research was conducted at Harvard University (1984-1986), and he was a Dibner Fellow at MIT (2000) with visiting professorships in France (École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales, Université Louis-Pasteur) and the University of Toronto.

Gingras's research focuses on the history and sociology of science, science measurement methodologies, research evaluation frameworks, and the evolution of scientific publishing. His work bridges physics history, scientometrics, and science policy analysis, with emphasis on interdisciplinary approaches to understanding scientific development.

His recent publications (2019-2024) demonstrate strong thematic coherence in scientific epistemology, research evaluation critiques, and historical analyses of Canadian science. Key trends include methodological examinations of experimentation, transformations in scholarly communication, and the sociopolitical dimensions of research assessment.

Major scientific awards recognizing his contributions include:

• Prix Michel-Brunet (1988) for Histoire des sciences au Québec
• Ivan Slade Prize (2001) from the British Society for the History of Science
• Prix Gérard-Parizeau (2005) for advancing Quebec's science history
• Prix Jacques-Rousseau (2007) for interdisciplinary contributions from ACFAS

Gingras has supervised approximately 40 graduate students and secured around 40 major research grants. He leads the OST research center focusing on science and innovation metrics, frequently collaborates internationally, and serves on editorial boards of academic journals.

Beyond research, he actively popularizes science through regular columns on Radio-Canada's Années lumière (since 1997), television appearances, and advisory roles for publishers and media productions.