The American Academy of Arts and Sciences has named Victor Seow the recipient of its Sarton Prize for the History of Science, recognizing his exceptional promise and distinguished achievements as an emerging scholar in the field. The honor was established by author and Academy member May Sarton (elected in 1958) to honor the memory of her father, George Sarton, also a member (elected in 1927), who is considered a founder of the field of the history of science.
Seow is the John L. Loeb Associate Professor of the Social Sciences in the Department of the History of Science at Harvard University. He specializes in the history of technology, science, and industry, focusing on China and Japan in their global contexts, with particular interest in histories of energy and work. His book, Carbon Technocracy: Energy Regimes in Modern East Asia, examines the links between energy extraction and technocratic politics through the history of East Asia’s onetime largest coal mine. In chronicling the origins of fossil-fueled development in China and Japan, the book reveals the prominent role of the state in energy transitions toward coal and oil and the persistent reliance on human labor in the carbon age. Carbon Technocracy was awarded several prizes from different fields, including the Association for Asian Studies' John Whitney Hall Book Prize and the Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations' Michael H. Hunt Prize for International History.
“The Academy is committed to interdisciplinarity and this award, given at the intersection of history and science, is an opportunity to recognize an exemplary scholar whose work highlights the value of innovative pursuits,” said Laurie L. Patton, Academy President. “Victor Seow’s exploration of energy, industry, and politics in modern East Asia bridges disciplines and fosters a deeper understanding of the historical forces that shape science, technology, and society.”
“The history of science is filled with forgotten experiments, overlooked ideas, and uncredited labor,” said Seow. “That my own work—built upon the scholarship of many folks who came before me—is being recognized in this way is an incredible honor. I am grateful to the Academy and to everyone who has helped me along in my journey.”
Born and raised in Singapore, Seow received his PhD in History and East Asian Languages from Harvard University. He joined the Harvard faculty in 2017 and was previously an assistant professor of history at Cornell University.
Presented for the first time in 1999, the Sarton Prize supports early-career historians of science whose work demonstrates exceptional promise. It was last awarded to Jenny Bulstrode, a Lecturer at University College London, in 2018.
The award will be presented in spring 2025.
Learn more about the Academy and the prizes it awards online.