Cathryn Carson

Professor and Chair

Dept of History

Research Group

Faculty Site

Contact

(510) 642-1971

(510) 643-5323

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Research Bio

Science and technology in contemporary research institutions, including data science, AI, and physics (20th century to today). Data/tech ethics, intellectual history of philosophy and science, research institutions and politics, nuclear waste.

Research Expertise and Interest

science and society, data science, ethics, artificial intelligence, history of science and technology, history of physics, nuclear waste, intellectual history, interdisciplinarity

In the News

Then-Berkeley Lab Director Edwin McMillan, left, and Bevatron Group Leader Ed Lofgren, stand atop the 7-feet-thick concrete shielding at the remodeled Bevatron in this 1963 photo.

How the US Became a Science Superpower

UC experts utilize historical events to explain how the U.S. became a science superpower.

image of professor talking in front of class

New Palestinian and Arab Studies Program Established at UC Berkeley

UC Berkeley's Division of Social Sciences has announced an endowed program and chair in Palestinian and Arab Studies to usher in a new era of research and scholarship,

An image of a succulant plant with small boxes on leaves showing a magnified version of the plant that is meant to symbolize how AI interprets the world

UC Berkeley Historian of Science Ponders AI's Past, Present and Future

Cathryn Carson reflects on the transformative potential of AI while highlighting its valuable lessons on both proactive and cautionary measures for shaping our future.

person with computer code printed on their face

From Tort Law to Cheating, What is ChatGPT’s Future in Higher Education?

When it comes to higher education, reviews have been more mixed, a blend of upbeat and uneasy. These UC Berkeley experts say that ChatGPT and similar tools are going to transform education.

Chancellor Christ (center left) and President Morris (center right) with the Tuskegee Scholars at the Berkeley-Tuskegee Data Science Initiative Reception at University House on June 21, 2022. (Photo/ KLCfotos)

UC Berkeley and Tuskegee University Announce Data Science Partnership

Tuskegee University and UC Berkeley recently announced the Berkeley-Tuskegee Data Science Initiative, a multi-year partnership to develop curriculum and collaborative research opportunities for students and faculty at both institutions.

NSF awards support Berkeley data science institute, national workshops

The grants recognize the campus’s leadership in data science education.

overview shot of Fukashima with smoke rising from a building

Nuclear science meets social science in novel summer program

A summer school program designed to improve the social scientific literacy of nuclear engineers will use Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear crisis as a case study. The six-day program, to be held in Berkeley from July 31 to Aug. 5, is being organized by faculty at UC Berkeley and the University of Tokyo.

Nuclear power plant silo with steam coming out of top

New Interdisciplinary Center Examines Nuclear Power

Several dozen scholars, analysts, scientists, and students gathered in Berkeley for an unprecedented and often contentious workshop on the future of nuclear power. The workshop, sponsored by UC Berkeley’s newly formed Center for Science, Technology, Medicine and Society, brought together social scientists and their counterparts in science, engineering, and policy.

Teaching

Courses taught during the three most recent terms

2026 Spring

Supervised Independent Study and Research [HISTORY 199]
Directed Dissertation Research [HISTORY 296]
Directed Reading [HISTORY 299]

2025 Fall

Human Contexts and Ethics of Data - DATA/History/STS [DATA C104]
Directed Dissertation Research [HISTORY 296]
Directed Reading [HISTORY 299]
Human Contexts and Ethics of Data - DATA/History/STS [HISTORY C184D]

2025 Summer

Directed Dissertation Research [HISTORY 296]
Directed Dissertation Research [HISTORY 296]
Directed Dissertation Research [HISTORY 296]

2025 Spring

Human Contexts and Ethics of Data [DATA C204]
Directed Dissertation Research [HISTORY 296]
Directed Reading [HISTORY 299]
Human Contexts and Ethics of Data [HISTORY C254]
Human Contexts and Ethics of Data [STS C204]