I am an Associate Professor at Vanderbilt University with faculty appointments in the Center for Medicine, Health, and Society and the Department of French & Italian.
The reason why I went into academics is because I have an insatiable curiosity for, well, nearly everything. I get paid to read and write. And, I also have a chance to teach some of the country’s most brilliant minds. Truly, it doesn’t get better than this!
My interests have always centered on the intersections between culture, history, and medicine/science. My first book was on the history of pregnancy and embryology (Pregnant Fictions: Childbirth and the Fairy Tale in Early Modern France). I have another one coming up soon, with W.W. Norton, on early medical experimentation and murder. The title: Blood Work.
I write on culture, medicine, and books for the popular press (clips below); I also edit the history of medicine/science website, Wonders and Marvels. You’ll also find more information about my academic publications on my faculty webpage.
CLIPS:
Trick or Treatment (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/08/24/RVRO1234SA.DTL
iBrain examines digital era’s mind games (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/10/12/RVU613B1OF.DTL
The quiet power of a family portrait (Christian Science Monitor)
http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0721/p19s02-hfes.html
