Nicolas Rasmussen

Nicolas "Nic" Rasmussen (1962—) is a historian of modern life sciences, and a Professor in the School of Humanities and Languages at the University of New South Wales.

With major interests in the history of amphetamines, the history of drug abuse, and the history of clinical trials, he has higher degrees in history and philosophy of science, developmental biology, and public health.

Early life

Born in Paris in 1962 of American parents — computer scientist Norman L. Rasmussen (1928—2003), later director of IBM’s Cambridge Scientific Center, and an important contributor to the development of time-sharing operating systems, and Laura Sootin Rasmussen (1933—), later an organizer and officer of the National Organization for Women in New England — he attended the Roxbury Latin School, near Boston, in Massachusetts.

Education

Having worked in biology research labs since his early teens, Rasmussen's undergraduate exposure to art history and theory spurred an interest in history and philosophy of science; and, as a consequence, he enrolled in a Ph.D. program in Philosophy at the University of Chicago to pursue this field. He worked there with William Wimsatt for two years; and, after taking an master's degree, he went on to Cambridge University to study history of biology with Nick Jardine in the M.Phil. program in History and Philosophy of Science.