I am a writer, editor, and historian based in Philadelphia. With a background in both science (B.S., chemistry, Purdue University) and history (Ph.D., history and sociology of science, University of Pennsylvania), I think scientists, historians, and everyone else have a lot to learn from each other.
My scholarly work has specifically focused on the role of science during the Cold War, a period when science held a special place in maintaining and projecting state power. I also think and write a lot about the contemporary intersection of science, history, and politics. I’ve shared my insights on science and the Cold War in two books, Freedom’s Laboratory: The Cold War Struggle for the Soul of Science and Competing with the Soviets: Science, Technology, and the State in Cold War America. My writing and reviews have appeared in The Atlantic, The Washington Post, Science, The New Scientist, LARB, Slate, and the popular history podcast American History Tellers. I’ve talked about science and power on Freakonomics, PRI’s The World, Spycast, RadioTimes, and maybe even your local NPR affiliate. You can follow me on Twitter as @ColdWarScience.
In addition to my work as a writer and historian, I operate an editorial and publishing consulting company, The Outside Reader, that helps writers of serious nonfiction develop their craft. I offer both on-site and online publishing workshops. I’ve also worked in scholarly publishing, radio production, and university teaching.
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All author photographs by © C. C. Wolfe Photography.
