The Power of Biography in Academic Research

On this episode Samara interviews Dr Fallon Mody, Historian of Medicine and Metascience researcher at the University of Melbourne, on the topic of Biography.

For non-historians, scientific biography is likely thought of as a straightforward telling of a celebrated individual’s life history, like Albert Einstein or Marie Curie. 

However, historians find biography - as a research tool - is better put to a broader range of uses. 

For example, Fallon has used group biographies in her own research investigating the role of migrant and refugee doctors in shaping urban and regional medicine in Australia during the early 20th century.

In today’s episode Fallon draws our attention to the range of ways biography can be used as a valuable research tool – especially in recovering important stories of women, indigenous, and non-elites in the history of science and medicine.

A transcript of the interview can be found here: https://www.hpsunimelb.org/post/episode-6-transcript

Below are some resources mentioned by Fallon in the interview:

• Fallon's Research on Medical Migration as well as Metascience
• Janet McCalman Sex and Suffering: Women's Health and a Women's Hospital 
• Rod Buchanan Playing with Fire: The Controversial Career of Hans J Eysenck
• Anne Crowther and Marguerite Dupree Medical Lives in the Age of Surgical Revolution
• Katharine Foxhall Migraine: A History
• Janet Browne - Biographies of Darwin

Thanks for listening to The HPS Podcast. You can find more about us on our website, Bluesky, Instagram and Facebook feeds. 

This podcast would not be possible without the support of School of Historical and Philosophical Studies at the University of Melbourne and the Hansen Little Public Humanities Grant scheme.

Music by ComaStudio.
Website HPS Podcast | hpsunimelb.org