Sheila Jasanoff Photo
Pforzheimer Professor of Science and Technology Studies
Contact:
Assistant: Henry Austin

Sheila Jasanoff is Pforzheimer Professor of Science and Technology Studies at the Harvard Kennedy School. A pioneer in the social sciences, she explores the role of science and technology in the law, politics, and policy of modern democracies. Her books include The Fifth Branch, Science at the Bar, Designs on Nature, The Ethics of Invention, and Can Science Make Sense of Life? She founded and directs the STS Program at Harvard, where she also formed the Science and Democracy Network; previously, she was founding chair of the STS Department at Cornell. In 2022, she received the Government of Norway’s Holberg Prize for law, humanities, and social sciences. Her other honors include the SSRC’s Hirschman prize, the Humboldt Foundation’s Reimar-Lüst award, a distinguished scholar award from ISA’s Science, Technology and Art in International Relations, and a Guggenheim Fellowship. Jasanoff has held distinguished visiting professorships at leading universities in Europe, Asia, Australia, and the US. She is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the American Philosophical Society, international member of the British Academy and the Royal Danish Academy, and member of the Council on Foreign Relations. She served on the AAAS Board of Directors and as President of the Society for Social Studies of Science. She holds AB, JD, and PhD degrees from Harvard, and honorary doctorates from the Universities of Twente and Liège.

Transparent Engagement 

Harvard Kennedy School is proud of its energetic involvement in the world. To better understand how to solve public problems by improving policy and leadership, we engage directly with policymakers, public leaders, governments, nonprofit organizations, and for-profit businesses whose activities affect those problems. However, we recognize that such engagement can raise questions about perceived and potential conflicts of interest, so we disclose publicly the key professional activities of our faculty outside the Kennedy School. The activities disclosed below are for the most recent reporting period, as defined by University policy. Some may be paid, some may be unpaid, and others may be in exchange for expense reimbursement only.

Outside Professional Activities For Sheila Jasanoff

Organization Relationship
McGill University Membership on a scientific or other advisory board
University of Cambridge Membership on a scientific or other advisory board
National Academy of Sciences Membership on a scientific or other advisory board
Holberg Foundation Speaking engagement, invited lecture, or presentation
McQuillan Institute for Science, Technology and the Human Future Fiduciary board membership
Stanford University Speaking engagement, invited lecture, or presentation
University of Western Ontario Reimbursed travel
University of Western Ontario Speaking engagement, invited lecture, or presentation

Contact

Assistant: Henry Austin

Expertise

Politics
Globalization
Environment & Energy
Democracy & Governance
Science, Technology & Data
Public Leadership & Management

Mailing Address

Harvard Kennedy School
79 John F. Kennedy Street
Cambridge, MA 02138