Join Michael Gordin, dean of the college and the Rosengarten Professor of Modern and Contemporary History, for a talk outlining the evolution of the American science system from the 19th century to the present. As a rule, scientific research is expensive and uncertain; it also is crucial if we are going to understand nature and implement that knowledge for humanity’s benefit. Every modern society has developed some form of “science system” to balance the resources for science with other social demands. 

Gordin is the senior administrator responsible for Princeton’s undergraduate academic program. All matters relating to the curriculum, academic advising, academic regulations and scholastic standing fall under him. He served for six years as the director of Princeton’s Society of Fellows in the Liberal Arts and is associated faculty in the Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures. He earned his Ph.D. in the history of science from Harvard University. His research and teaching focuses on the history of modern science, especially of the physical sciences and science in Central and Eastern Europe. He has authored several books, including “On the Fringe: Where Science Meets Pseudoscience,” which recently was named the Princeton Pre-read for the Class of 2029. The book, which uses history and philosophy to explore how to distinguish science from pseudoscience, grew out of a longtime class taught by Gordin.

TigerSide Chats is a virtual event series that is free and open to the public. Registration is required.