Jane Maienschein
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Jane Maienschein (born September 23, 1950 in Tennessee, US) is an American professor and director of the Center for Biology and Society at
Arizona State University Arizona State University (Arizona State or ASU) is a public university, public research university in Tempe, Arizona, United States. Founded in 1885 as Territorial Normal School by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, the university is o ...
.


Education

Maienschein was admitted to the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a Private university, private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Established in 1861, MIT has played a significant role in the development of many areas of moder ...
, later transferred to
Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701, Yale is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Stat ...
in 1969 where she was a member of Manuscript Society. In 1972, she graduated with honors in History, the Arts, and Letters. She then attended
Indiana University Bloomington Indiana University Bloomington (IU Bloomington, Indiana University, IU, IUB, or Indiana) is a public university, public research university in Bloomington, Indiana, United States. It is the flagship university, flagship campus of Indiana Univer ...
to conduct her Ph.D work. Her mentor, Dr. Frederick Churchill, was interested in historical embryological research. Maienschein was awarded a Fellowship at the Smithsonian, to study the history of microscopy. The
National Science Foundation The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) is an Independent agencies of the United States government#Examples of independent agencies, independent agency of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government that su ...
provided funding for her dissertation. Maienschein became involved with the
Marine Biological Laboratory The Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) is an international center for research and education in biological and environmental science. Founded in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, in 1888, the MBL is a private, nonprofit institution that was independent ...
, in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, to research historical
embryology Embryology (from Ancient Greek, Greek ἔμβρυον, ''embryon'', "the unborn, embryo"; and -λογία, ''-logy, -logia'') is the branch of animal biology that studies the Prenatal development (biology), prenatal development of gametes (sex ...
,
morphogenesis Morphogenesis (from the Greek ''morphê'' shape and ''genesis'' creation, literally "the generation of form") is the biological process that causes a cell, tissue or organism to develop its shape. It is one of three fundamental aspects of deve ...
and
cellular differentiation Cellular differentiation is the process in which a stem cell changes from one type to a differentiated one. Usually, the cell changes to a more specialized type. Differentiation happens multiple times during the development of a multicellula ...
. Maienschein researched the history and philosophy of
developmental biology Developmental biology is the study of the process by which animals and plants grow and develop. Developmental biology also encompasses the biology of Regeneration (biology), regeneration, asexual reproduction, metamorphosis, and the growth and di ...
as well as issues surrounding
stem cell In multicellular organisms, stem cells are undifferentiated or partially differentiated cells that can change into various types of cells and proliferate indefinitely to produce more of the same stem cell. They are the earliest type of cell ...
research and regenerative medicine.Embryo Project Encyclopedia Editorial Team, "Jane Maienschein", 2008,

, December 22, 2010


Work

Maienschein focuses on the social, political, and legal contexts of scientific research and is currently the director of the Center for Biology and Society, at Arizona State University, which states the goal of "promoting exploration of conceptual foundations and historical development of the biosciences and their diverse interactions with society." To quote the CBS, "We engage in activities across multiple disciplines that allow opportunities for intellectual ferment and increased impact by creating research and educational collaborations and communication." Maienschein and colleague Manfred Laubichler are particularly interested in
evolutionary developmental biology Evolutionary developmental biology, informally known as evo-devo, is a field of biological research that compares the developmental biology, developmental processes of different organisms to infer how developmental processes evolution, evolved. ...
. The School of Life Sciences has received millions of dollars from the
Howard Hughes Medical Institute The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) is an American non-profit medical research organization headquartered in Chevy Chase, Maryland with additional facilities in Ashburn, Virginia. It was founded in 1953 by Howard Hughes, an American busin ...
to develop the School of Life Sciences Undergraduate Research (SOLUR) program, a research program. Maienschein served as the first president for the International Society for the History, Philosophy, and Social Studies of Biology in 1989–1991 and served as president of the History of Science Society. She is Director of The Embryo Project Encyclopedia, along with Dr. Manfred Laubichler.


Recognition

Maienschein is Regents' Professor and President's Professor at
Arizona State University Arizona State University (Arizona State or ASU) is a public university, public research university in Tempe, Arizona, United States. Founded in 1885 as Territorial Normal School by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, the university is o ...
's School of Life Sciences.Professor named Top in Arizona, Recognized Nationally
Arizona State University (November 19, 2010).
In 2000, Maienschein received the Joseph H. Hazen Education Prize from the History of Science Society, and in 2024 she received the History of Science Society's highest honor, the George Sarton Medal. Maienschein has created the Biology and Society; Bioethics, Policy, and Law; The History and Philosophy of Science; Ecology, Economics, Ethics and Environment; The Embryo Project Encyclopedia, ASU's Bioethics in Films Series, Responsible Conduct in Research and the History of Biology projects held at the
Marine Biological Laboratory The Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) is an international center for research and education in biological and environmental science. Founded in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, in 1888, the MBL is a private, nonprofit institution that was independent ...
. She is also the first president of the International Society for the History, Philosophy, and Social Studies of Biology (ISHPSSB). Maienschein is a Fellow of the Association for Women in Science (AWIS) and the
American Association for the Advancement of Science The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is a United States–based international nonprofit with the stated mission of promoting cooperation among scientists, defending scientific freedom, encouraging scientific responsib ...
(AAAS), has served two terms as a board member for national AWIS in Washington, D.C and served on the Board of Directors of AAAS. She has published over 20 articles and several books as shown on her CV. She was published in
the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy The ''Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy'' (''SEP'') is a freely available online philosophy resource published and maintained by Stanford University, encompassing both an online encyclopedia of philosophy and peer-reviewed original publication ...
on " Epigenesis and
Preformation In the history of biology, preformationism (or preformism) is a formerly popular theory that organisms develop from miniature versions of themselves. Instead of assembly from parts, preformationists believed that the form of living things exis ...
". Maienschein wrote "Whose View of Life?: Embryos, Cloning, and Stem Cells". Maienschein and Manfred Laubichler collaborated to co-write: "From Embryology to Evo-Devo: A History of Developmental Evolution" and Form and Function in Developmental Evolution. In 2009, Maienschein presented, with Tedx Talks on "Stem Cells, Regenerative Medicine and Us". In November 2010, Maienschein was named the 2010 Arizona Professor of the Year, by the
Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching (CFAT) is a U.S.-based education policy and research center. It was founded by Andrew Carnegie in 1905 and chartered in 1906 by an act of the United States Congress. Among its most not ...
and the
Council for Advancement and Support of Education The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) is a nonprofit association of educational institutions. It serves professionals in the field of educational advancement. This field encompasses alumni relations, communications, marketin ...
.


References


External links


The Embryo Project EncyclopediaSchool of Life Sciences: Jane MaienscheinThe Center for Biology and Society at ASU
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Maienschein, Jane 1950 births Living people 20th-century American philosophers 21st-century American philosophers 21st-century American women American developmental biologists Arizona State University faculty Yale University alumni American women scientists American women philosophers Philosophers of biology Place of birth missing (living people) Massachusetts Institute of Technology alumni Indiana University Bloomington alumni People from Tennessee Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science American historians of science American evolutionary biologists American women academics