York University will honour a Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies professor for his outstanding research contributions to the University with a 2018 Distinguished Research Professorship. The title is given to active members of the academy in recognition of their scholarly achievements in research.

Bernard Lightman, Department of Humanities, Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies 

Lightman is professor of humanities and has been a faculty member at York University since 1987. He was founding director of two graduate programs: humanities, and science and technology studies. He previously taught at Queen’s University and the University of Oregon.

“I am grateful to the University for this honour and to my colleague, Professor Katharine Anderson, for nominating me,” he said.

Lightman’s research interests include cultural history of science; 19th century British science; and religion, gender, visual and print culture. He has published widely in the field of the cultural history of Victorian science. Among his books are The Origins of Agnosticism(1987), Victorian Popularizers of Science (2007) and Science Museums in Transition (2017, co-edited with Carin Berkowitz).

He has been active in professional leadership involvement and community contributions, including: Advisory Board, Victorian Review: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Victorian Studies; Society editor, Isis editor and member of the executive committee, History of Science Society; council, History of Science Society; Green Paper Working Group on Strategic Expansion of Research Activity; Joint Committee on the Administration of the Agreement and more.

Lightman is co-general editor of the Correspondence of John Tyndall, published by the University of Pittsburgh Press. He was elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada in 2011 and is currently president of the History of Science Society.