Race, Identity, and the History of Science

Science is often considered—and celebrated for being—objective. But over the long history of science, it is clear that issues of race and identity are deeply intertwined with the scientific process and its results. These are the very tensions that the New York History of Science lecture series will explore and unpack this year with an exceptional speaker line-up. The lecture series is a collaboration between the Center for Science and Society and University Seminars at Columbia, NYU Gallatin School of Individualized Study, the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, the New York Academy of Medicine, and the New York Academy of Sciences.

View the 2020-2021 History of Science Lecture series schedule and register for the first event this Wednesday, October 7 at 6 PM ET:

Evelynn Hammonds - Science Confronts Race and Racism in a Pandemic

As COVID-19 spread, questions have been raised about its disproportionate impact on marginalized groups. Once again, experts and news outlets debate if disease susceptibility is based on race or social and environmental factors. Join Evelynn Hammonds to learn this history behind this debate. Free and open to the public - registration required to receive Zoom link.

Featured Events:

Our online calendar of events includes virtual events.

Is Precision Medicine Relevant in the Age of COVID-19?

Has the decades-long emphasis on precision medicine been a distraction in dealing with COVID-19? Or can the fundamental advances made by precision medicine research can be adapted to inform public health initiatives? Free and open to the public; registration required. 

Sara Ramshaw - Comparing Domains of Improvisation

Professor Sara Ramshaw joins the Comparing Domains of Improvisation group for a presentation and discussion about her work on improvisation and law. Sponsored by Presidential Scholars in Society and Neuroscience program. Free and open to the public; registration is required. 

Featured Deadline: 

For a complete listing of upcoming deadlines, please visit our website.

Center & Institute Initiative to Enhance Remote Learning and Teaching, Columbia University

Rolling Deadline. With a challenging academic year ahead, a consortium of Centers and Institutes will offer funding for proposals that cultivate student engagement and enhance the online learning experience for Columbia students and instructors. Open to Columbia/Barnard faculty, instructors, and students. 

Pilot Grants in Social Studies of Genetics and Precision Medicine, Columbia University

Due October 15, 2020. Pilot grants are available to support empirical or conceptual work on ethical, social, economic, legal, historical or philosophical issues related to genetics or precision/personalized medicine. Open to Columbia faculty, post-docs, and graduate students. 

Submit Your Events and Deadlines

The Science and Society Newsletter is sent biweekly and features updates from the Center and featured upcoming events and deadlines. While we can not guarantee that your event will be featured, we are always happy to include relevant upcoming events, grant deadlines, calls for papers, open positions, etc on our website. Please email us at scienceandsociety@columbia.edu with any submissions. 

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