As a freshman at Rice University, Anna Tutuianu ’23 knew she wanted to study how research in biomedicine and biomedical technologies intersected with society and history. She dabbled in courses that covered medical humanities, anthropology and history but struggled to find the kind of interdisciplinary minor that fully encapsulated her interests. Tutuianu kept looking until her search led to Elizabeth Petrick, associate professor of history, who along with her colleagues had been considering starting a science and technology studies (STS) program.
“She told me, ‘We needed a student to confirm interest in this and we can get the minor set up — just sign up for the minor when it gets on the register,’” said Tutuianu, who became the first Rice student to graduate with an STS minor less than three years later.
Launched as a joint endeavor between the School of Humanities and the School of Social Sciences, the STS program is more than just a set of courses — it connects students from disparate fields, uniting them in their exploration of how science and technology shape, and are shaped by, society.
“It seemed like such a natural fit for a STEM-heavy school,” said Petrick, who serves as co-director of the STS program. “We have so many faculty who do STS-related topics across different departments, so I knew there would be interest from the faculty side. I had the hunch that there would be interest from the undergrad side as well.”
The STS program is built around the premise that to truly understand science and technology, one must look beyond the laboratory. It encourages students to analyze science and technology within broader social, cultural and political contexts.
“The key is really the interdisciplinarity,” said Petrick. “We can know more about science and technology when we use the tools from another field to reflect upon them.”
“STS is an incredibly dynamic, multidisciplinary field of study that brings together the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences,” said anthropology professor Cymene Howe, who co-directs the STS program. “It’s designed to be compatible with many different majors at Rice, from engineering and computer science to art and architecture.”
For example, a student in the minor might take a course on the history of genetics, exploring how societal factors influenced scientific developments and how these developments in turn affected society. Another might study media representations of technology, analyzing how popular culture molds public perceptions of scientific advancements.
“We’re so often familiar with STEM, science and engineering,” said Luis Campos, the Baker College Chair for the History of Science, Technology and Innovation and a member of the STS program’s steering committee. “We encounter it in our daily lives, we devote our lives to it in many cases, but sometimes it’s a surprise to learn that there’s another way to think about science and engineering that goes beyond science and engineering itself.”
This cross-disciplinary approach is precisely what makes the STS program so valuable, Campos said.
“For an institution like Rice, where science and engineering are such a focus, we are a natural bridge to make connections and insights that otherwise wouldn’t necessarily be obvious,” Campos said. “No matter what your field is, no matter what your background is, there are powerful, valuable and interesting things that one encounters through the STS perspective.”
Still in its infancy, the program has already begun to foster a sense of community among students and faculty. The program’s interdisciplinary nature draws in a diverse group of students, enriching discussions and allowing for a more nuanced exploration of the complex relationship between science, technology and society.
Students who choose to pursue this field of study are passionate about its interdisciplinary approach, Petrick said. She shared an example of a first-year Shepherd School of Music student who chose Rice because of how it fosters an interdisciplinary approach to education. Combining two distinct fields, a major in music and a minor in STS, the student told Petrick that they were particularly drawn to the opportunity to explore how these disciplines intersect and complement each other through Rice’s unique academic offerings.
“There’s really something for everybody,” Tutuianu said.
Learn more about the STS program here.