Alexandra (Sasha) Stern

Alexandra (Sasha) Stern. She is an American historian and academic renowned for her pioneering research on the histories of eugenics, human genetics, and race in the United States and Latin America. A professor at the University of Michigan, her scholarly work has been recognized with prestigious awards including the Bancroft Prize and a Guggenheim Fellowship. Stern's interdisciplinary approach bridges the fields of history of science, medicine, and social justice.

Early life and education

Stern completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Michigan, where she developed an early interest in social history and public health. She then pursued graduate work in history at the University of Chicago, a leading center for the history of science and medicine. Her doctoral dissertation, advised by renowned scholars, examined the intersection of eugenics and public policy in California, laying the groundwork for her future research trajectory. This formative period immersed her in archival methodologies and the critical study of scientific racism.

Career

Stern began her academic career with a faculty appointment at the University of Michigan, where she is the Zina Pitcher Collegiate Professor in the Department of American Culture, the Department of History, and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She has also held leadership roles, including serving as the director of the University of Michigan's Science, Technology, and Society program. Her administrative work has fostered interdisciplinary collaboration across the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts and the Medical School. Stern has been a visiting scholar at institutions such as the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science and the Huntington Library.

Research and publications

Stern's research critically examines the legacy of eugenics and the social dimensions of genetics. Her award-winning book, Eugenic Nation: Faults and Frontiers of Better Breeding in Modern America, published by the University of California Press, explores the implementation of eugenic policies in the American West. She co-edited the volume Formative Years: Children's Health in the United States, 1880-2000. Her later work, Telling Genes: The Story of Genetic Counseling in America, analyzes the profession of genetic counseling and its ethical complexities. Stern has published numerous articles in journals like the American Historical Review and the Journal of the History of Medicine and Allied Sciences.

Awards and recognition

In 2016, Stern was awarded the Bancroft Prize, one of the most distinguished honors in the field of American history, for her book Eugenic Nation. She has also been a recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship to support her scholarly research. Her work has been funded by grants from the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. She received the Arthur Viseltear Award from the American Public Health Association for contributions to the history of public health.

Personal life

Stern maintains a private personal life while being an active participant in the academic community. She is known for mentoring graduate students and early-career scholars in the fields of history of medicine and bioethics. Her commitment to public scholarship is evident through engagements with the Social Science Research Council and public lectures on the historical roots of contemporary issues in genetics and health equity. Category:American historians Category:University of Michigan faculty Category:Bancroft Prize winners