Aaron Leon Panofsky is an American sociologist of science and Professor in Public Policy and the Institute for Society and Genetics at the

University of California, Los Angeles The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Its academic roots were established in 1881 as a normal school the ...

. His research focuses on the social implications and history of

genetics Genetics is the study of genes, genetic variation, and heredity in organisms.Hartl D, Jones E (2005) It is an important branch in biology because heredity is vital to organisms' evolution. Gregor Mendel, a Moravian Augustinians, Augustinian ...

Work

Panofsky's 2014 book, '' Misbehaving Science'', explores the historical development and controversies of

behavior genetics Behavioural genetics, also referred to as behaviour genetics, is a field of scientific research that uses genetic methods to investigate the nature and origins of individual differences in behaviour. While the name "behavioural genetics" c ...

. The book won the 2015 President's Book Award from the

Social Science History Association Social Science History Association was formed in 1972 and brings together scholars from numerous disciplines interested in social history. The Social Science History Association's core purpose is: "To bring together members of various disciplines ...

. Panofsky also attracted media attention for a study he presented at an

American Sociological Association The American Sociological Association (ASA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the discipline and profession of sociology. Founded in December 1905 as the American Sociological Society at Johns Hopkins University by a group of fi ...

meeting in 2017. The study analyzed 3,070 posts on the

white nationalist White nationalism is a type of racial nationalism or pan-nationalism which espouses the belief that white people are a Race (human categorization), raceHeidi Beirich and Kevin Hicks. "Chapter 7: White nationalism in America". In Perry, Barbara ...

Internet forum Stormfront in which posters described the results of their genetic ancestry tests. The study identified three distinct ways in which the white supremacists whose tests identified non-European ancestry dismissed and rationalized their results. One of these ways was to accuse the

genetic testing Genetic testing, also known as DNA testing, is used to identify changes in DNA sequence or chromosome structure. Genetic testing can also include measuring the results of genetic changes, such as RNA analysis as an output of gene expression, or ...

companies of being run by

Jew Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, religion, and community are highly inte ...

s, who some white supremacists accused of engaging in a

conspiracy A conspiracy, also known as a plot, ploy, or scheme, is a secret plan or agreement between people (called conspirers or conspirators) for an unlawful or harmful purpose, such as murder, treason, or corruption, especially with a political motivat ...

to fraudulently manipulate the white supremacists' test results.

References

External links

Faculty page
Living people Sociologists of science Medical sociologists UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs faculty Amherst College alumni New York University alumni American sociologists Year of birth missing (living people) 21st-century American male writers {{US-sociologist-stub