Raj Sastry

Research Interests: History of medicine; medical humanities; health policy; global health; public health; science & technology studies; technology & society. 

I completed A.B. and A.M. degrees in the History of Science and am now pursuing an M.D. at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City. I focus on 20th century history: my research examines how scientists and scientific organizations earn trust, navigate uncertainty, and adapt to shifting social values as they develop and regulate medical technology and treatments.  

My initial research examined how tools like the randomized controlled trial (RCT), alongside Cold War science culture, shaped the approaches and public response to pediatric blindness prevention projects abroad. This work resulted in my undergraduate thesis and an essay in the American Journal of Public Health. 

I am currently working on another project, developed out of my master’s thesis, which traces the evolution of vaccine advocacy in the United States since the 1950s.

Previous Degrees:

A.B., History of Science and Integrative Biology, Harvard College
A.M., History of Science, Harvard University