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Rachel A. Ankeny

Rachel A. Ankeny

Professor of History, University of Adelaide

Rachel A. Ankeny is an interdisciplinary teacher and scholar whose areas of expertise cross three fields: history/philosophy of science, bioethics and science policy, and food studies. In the past five years, she has been an academic visitor at the University of Exeter (where she is currently an honorary senior fellow), the London School of Economics, and Arizona State University, and has given invited talks at major institutions including the University of Michigan, Duke University, and the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science (Berlin). Her research is considered highly interdisciplinary, scholarly, and generally accessible, evidenced by the fact that her talks are typically attended not only by academics but also members of the general public. She also is well-recognized as a scholar who can translate academic findings in ways that are relevant for students and the broader community.

Rachel has a BA in Liberal Arts (Philosophy/Maths, St John's College, Santa Fe, NM), and MA degrees in Philosophy and in Bioethics, and a PhD in the History and Philosophy of Science (all from the University of Pittsburgh, PA). In 2006 she graduated with the degree of Master of Arts in Gastronomy (University of Adelaide) after completing a dissertation on celebratory food habits among Italo-Australian and Italian-American immigrants. Prior to joining the University of Adelaide in 2006, she was director and lecturer/senior lecturer in the Unit for History and Philosophy of Science at the University of Sydney from 2000.

Gene drives may cause a revolution, but safeguards and public engagement are needed

May 07, 2017 09:14 am UTC| Science

A gene drive occurs when a specific gene is spread at an enhanced rate through an animal or plant population. Its something that happens in nature. Across the world, weve already seen examples of natural gene drives...

Perceptions of genetically modified food are informed by more than just science

Feb 16, 2017 06:59 am UTC| Science

When people dont seem to use science to make decisions, it is tempting to assume that its because they dont understand the underlying science. In response, scientists and science communicators often just try harder to...

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Economy

What should you do if you can’t pay your rent or mortgage?

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Some experts say the US economy is on the up, but here’s why voters don’t think so

Many Americans are gloomy about the economy, despite some data saying it is improving. The Economist even took this discussion to TikTok. When its US editor John Prideaux examined inflation, wage and employment numbers,...

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Electricity from farm waste: how biogas could help Malawians with no power

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Politics

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US student Gaza protests: five things that have been missed

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Will Solomon Islands’ new leader stay close to China?

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Science

IceCube researchers detect a rare type of energetic neutrino sent from powerful astronomical objects

About a trillion tiny particles called neutrinos pass through you every second. Created during the Big Bang, these relic neutrinos exist throughout the entire universe, but they cant harm you. In fact, only one of them is...

The Mars Sample Return mission has a shaky future, and NASA is calling on private companies for backup

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A Nasa rover has reached a promising place to search for fossilised life on Mars

While we go about our daily lives on Earth, a nuclear-powered robot the size of a small car is trundling around Mars looking for fossils. Unlike its predecessor Curiosity, Nasas Perseverance rover is explicitly intended to...

The rising flood of space junk is a risk to us on Earth – and governments are on the hook

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Technology

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CNBC’s Ran Neuner Reveals Personal Picks for Crypto Portfolio

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Philippines Tests Peso-Backed Stablecoin, Eyes Future Financial Innovations

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El Salvador Launches $360M Bitcoin Treasury Monitoring Site

El Salvador was the first country to accept Bitcoin as legal cash in 2021, and it now has over 5,700 BTC. Details of El Salvadors Bitcoin Monitoring Platform El Salvador has developed its proof-of-reserves website,...
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