Our active Science, Technology, and Society Steering Committee guides programming, partnerships, and strategic priorities for Temple’s STS network. Our members represent diverse disciplines across the university and work together to support research, education, and public-facing engagement at the intersections of science, technology, and society.
Evangelia Bellas. Department of Bioengineering, College of Engineering
Dr. Bellas brings expertise in bioengineering and biomedical innovation, with attention to how emerging technologies move from the lab into clinical and public contexts. She helps connect STS conversations to design, ethics, and real-world impacts in health and engineering.
Marcus Bingenheimer. Department of Religion, College of Liberal Arts
Dr. Bingenheimer contributes perspectives on how knowledge systems evolve, circulate, and shape communities over time. His work enriches STS discussions of interpretation, authority, and the cultural dimensions of scientific and technological change.
Bruce W. Hardy. Department of Communication and Social Influence, Klein College of Media and Communication. Co-Chair, STS Steering Committee
Dr. Hardy studies how communication environments influence public understanding of science and technology, including how trust, credibility, and social influence are formed. As Co-Chair, he helps shape programming that strengthens dialogue between researchers, students, and broader publics.
Allison Hayes-Conroy. Department of Geography, Environment and Urban Studies, College of Liberal Arts
Dr. Hayes-Conroy brings place-based and equity-centered perspectives to STS, examining how environments, bodies, and everyday expertise intersect with institutions and technology. She supports initiatives that connect STS scholarship to urban life, health, and lived experience.
John Erik Hmiel. Intellectual Heritage, College of Liberal Arts
Dr. Hmiel explores the histories of ideas that shape scientific, political, and cultural life. He contributes to STS efforts that situate contemporary debates—about expertise, democracy, and authority—within deeper intellectual and historical contexts.
Brian Hutler. Department of Philosophy, College of Liberal Arts
Dr. Hutler’s work engages foundational questions about evidence, explanation, and reasoning in science. He strengthens the Steering Committee’s capacity to connect STS programming to core philosophical issues in scientific practice and public decision-making.
Sarah C. Jones. Science and Engineering Librarian, Temple University Libraries
As Science and Engineering Librarian, Sarah supports faculty and students across the full research lifecycle, including discovery, data practices, and scholarly communication. She brings essential expertise on information systems, open science, and research stewardship to STS initiatives.
Mohammad F. Kiani. Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering
Dr. Kiani contributes engineering perspectives on how technologies are developed, evaluated, and translated into practice. His work helps connect STS themes—risk, responsibility, and public benefit—to the realities of design and implementation.
Rob Kulathinal. Department of Biology, College of Science and Technology. Co-Chair, STS Steering Committee
Dr. Kulathinal is an evolutionary genomicist whose research and teaching connect biology, data, and society. As Co-Chair, he helps build interdisciplinary collaborations and student-centered programming that brings STS perspectives into conversation with the life sciences, computation, and public engagement.
Juris Milestone. Department of Anthropology, College of Liberal Arts. Program Director, STS Minor
Dr. Milestone is an anthropologist of science and technology focused on institutions, expertise, and how knowledge is produced in practice. As Chair of the Education Subcommittee, he leads efforts to strengthen curriculum pathways, learning opportunities, and student engagement across the STS Network.
Jim Napolitano. Department of Physics, College of Science and Technology
Dr. Napolitano brings perspectives from physics and the broader sciences to STS conversations about evidence, explanation, and public understanding. He supports programming that bridges fundamental science with ethical, societal, and policy considerations.
Todd Schifeling. Department of Management, Fox School of Business
Dr. Schifeling studies organizations, technology, and institutional change, with attention to how innovations are adopted and scaled. He helps connect STS themes to the structures—policies, incentives, and cultures—that shape real-world outcomes.
Miriam Solomon. Retired Chair, STS Steering Committee; Department of Philosophy, College of Liberal Arts
Dr. Solomon is a philosopher of science whose work examines evidence, decision-making, and the social organization of inquiry. She contributes deep expertise on how scientific knowledge is evaluated and used, strengthening STS programming at the intersection of ethics, epistemology, and policy.
Meghnaa Tallapragada. Department of Public Relations, Media & Communication, Klein College of Media and Communication
Dr. Tallapragada brings expertise in communication, institutions, and public narratives about science and technology. She supports STS initiatives that examine how expertise is framed, how publics are engaged, and how communication strategies shape trust and action.
Brian Tuohy. Center for Urban Bioethics, Lewis Katz School of Medicine
Dr. Tuohy works at the intersection of ethics, health, and community-based practice, with a focus on equity and responsible innovation. He strengthens STS programming that connects biomedical research to lived experience, policy, and the ethical dimensions of care.
Tom Waidzunas. Department of Sociology, College of Liberal Arts
Dr. Waidzunas is a sociologist of science who examines knowledge production, expertise, and inequality. He contributes to STS efforts that bring sociological insight to contemporary issues in technology, medicine, and public life.
W. Geoffrey Wright. Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Public Health
Dr. Wright brings applied health perspectives to questions of evidence, translation, and access. He supports STS initiatives that connect research to practice, highlighting the social and institutional contexts that shape health outcomes.