Handbook of the Historiography of Latin American Studies on the Life Sciences and Medicine

Ana Barahona studied biology and undertook postgraduate studies on the history of science at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). She stayed at Harvard University for a year with Professor Everett Mendelsohn and was invited to the American Philosophical Society in 1984. She undertook postdoctoral studies at the University of California, Irvine, with Francisco J. Ayala, and has made several research visits to the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science, Berlin, and to Harvard University's Department of History of Science, among others. She is full-time professor in the Department of Evolutionary Biology in the School of Sciences at the UNAM. A pioneer in the historical and philosophical studies of science since 1980, she founded the area of social studies of science and technology in the School of Sciences. She has focused on the history and philosophy of evolution, genetics, and human heredity and medicine (especially in Mexico), and on the relationship between epistemology and science education. More recently, her interests have focused on medical genetics (population genetics and cytogenetics) and the impact of nuclear physics in the development of radiobiology and genetics in Mexico during the Cold War. She has also worked on genetics and agriculture in post-revolutionary Mexico, within the framework of transnational science. Some of her xi published works include more than 70 specialized articles, several books of research, and textbooks for elementary education, middle school, and college education in biology and history and philosophy of science. She is member of the Mexican Academy of Sciences and the National System of Investigators, CONACyT. She has been president of the International Society for the History, Philosophy and Social Studies of Biology, council member of the Division of History of Science and Technology of the International Union of History and Philosophy of Science, and member of the International Committee of the Scientific Society Sigma Xi. She has served as associate editor of the journal History and Philosophy of the Life Sciences, and member of the editorial boards of the journals Biological Theory, Science & Education, Almagest, Mendel Newsletter, and Journal of the History of Biology. She has been recently acknowledged as a Regular Member of the International Academy for the History of Science and member of the International Advisory Board of the British Society for the History of Science She received the 2014 National University Award (Premio Universidad Nacional 2014), for her contributions to science and technology studies, being the highest recognition that the UNAM gives to professors who have had a distinguished career. She currently coordinates the University Seminar of History, Philosophy and Studies of Science and Medicine, and is a member of the Board of Governors of the UNAM.