Dr. Geert Somsen

Biography

Geert Somsen is a historian of science at Maastricht University, focusing on the history of science and technology studies. He serves as the director of the Studies of MA ESST and is the editor-in-chief of the Journal of History of Knowledge. As the PhD training coordinator for the Netherlands Graduate School of Science and Technology Studies, Somsen also chairs the jury for the Reingold Prize in the History of Science and Society. He actively contributes to academic discourse through opinion pieces in national newspapers and international magazines, and participates frequently as a speaker in Studium Generale programs and podcasts. His research emphasizes the international dimensions of science over the past centuries, addressing scientific internationalism and the role of science as a model for peaceful cooperation. Somsen has completed significant projects, including a European-funded collaborative endeavor titled 'Scientific Conference: Social, Cultural, Political History' and is currently exploring the legacy of European imperialism in the context of global science. He has taught extensively in both undergraduate and graduate programs at Maastricht University and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, previously holding positions at institutions such as Columbia University and Uppsala University. Somsen's academic qualifications include a Master of Science in Chemistry from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, and he has been a Marie Curie Fellow at the Center for International History at Columbia University. His career also includes fellowships at the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science and the Institute for the History of Science Ideas in Uppsala, along with a postdoctoral fellowship at the Science History Institute in Philadelphia.

Research Interests