Gabrielle Hecht is a Professor of History at Stanford University and holds a courtesy appointment in Anthropology. She specializes in the global history of science, technology, and environment, with a focus on Africa and the Anthropocene. Her work examines how racial capitalism, colonial legacies, and environmental justice intersect with technological systems. Hecht earned a PhD in History and Sociology of Science (University of Pennsylvania, 1992), an M.A. in the same field (1988), and a B.S. in Physics from MIT (1986). Prior to returning to Stanford in 2017, she spent 18 years at the University of Michigan, where she contributed to collaborative projects like WiSER’s ‘Theory and Empiricism’ initiative. Her research interests span nuclear histories, waste governance, and the entangled geographies of Cold War technopolitics. Current projects include Inside-Out Earth , exploring energy residues in Côte d’Ivoire, South Africa, and Chile, and Residual Governance , which analyzes mining waste and environmental justice in South Africa. She collaborates with artist Potšišo Phasha and scholars across disciplines to address planetary crises through local perspectives. Hecht has received prestigious awards including the 2024 PROSE Awards, E. Ohnuki-Tierney Award, and ASA Best Book Prize. Her work has been funded by NSF, NEH, and international research foundations. She serves as a Research Associate at Wits Institute for Social and Economic Research (WiSER).
