Michael R. Dietrich

Michael Robert Dietrich (born November 7, 1963) is an American professor specializing in the history and philosophy of science. He is currently affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh. His academic career has also included professorships at Dartmouth College and the University of California, Davis. Dietrich's research interests lie primarily in the history of biology, particularly in areas such as twentieth-century genetics, evolutionary biology, and developmental biology. He has a notable focus on scientific controversies and their role in scientific development. His work includes extensive scholarship on molecular evolution, the neutral theory of molecular evolution, and the concept of genetic drift. He has also explored the work of controversial scientists, such as Richard Goldschmidt. Dietrich has been an active member of academic societies, serving as President of the International Society for the History, Philosophy, and Social Studies of Biology (ISHPSSB) from 2003 to 2005. He has also held editorial positions, including Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of the History of Biology and Editor of the Mendel Newsletter. He is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and was elected Chair of Section L of the AAAS in 2017. Dietrich has co-edited numerous books, including collections on "Rebels, Mavericks, and Heretics in Biology," "Outsider Scientists: Routes to Innovation in Biology," and "Dreamers, Revolutionaries, and Visionaries in the Life Sciences." He has also co-edited works on visual culture in the life sciences and the historiography of biology.