Dr. Deborah Streahle

Biography

Deborah Streahle is a historian specializing in medicine, with a research focus on end-of-life care and health activism in the U.S. during the 20th century. Her additional areas of interest include technology, reproductive health, disability, alternative medicine, and the role of medical museums. She earned her B.A. in Philosophy from Lehigh University and her Ph.D. in the History of Science and Medicine from Yale University. Deborah has developed a variety of history courses and workshops for high school and college students, such as the History of Science, Medicine, and Public Health major, the Yale Young Global Scholars Program, and the Life Worth Living Program during the Yale Summer Session. Her dissertation, titled “Care Underground: Activists Transforming American Dying in the 1960s,” argues that the 1960s marked a turning point in death care practices in the U.S., examining case studies that showcase activists’ efforts to incorporate greater personalization, meaning, and community connection into mainstream death care practices. In her role as a guest historian at the Intrepid Museum, Deborah is co-curating an exhibition on Navy medicine and the restoration of medical facilities on a historic aircraft carrier. Her graduate education includes curating five exhibitions on various topics such as surgical tools and disability activism. Her research has been featured on platforms like COVID Calls, the Dead Ladies Show podcast, and Los Angeles Review of Books. Outside of her professional life, she is actively involved in disability advocacy on campus and enjoys spending her free time with her family, exploring local beaches, eating pizza, and cycling around the region.

Research Interests