Academy Fellow

I have been a leader in the field of philosophy of science in practice, which focuses on philosophical investigations of the actual practices of scientists through integration of methods from the social sciences and history, co-founding an international professional society which has become highly successful. My research focused on the roles of models in the biological sciences and case-based reasoning in medical practice and research has had impacts not only in the field of philosophy of science but on science policy, as has my research on norms and practices in contemporary biology, including with regard to data-sharing and collaborative practices in contemporary sciences. My papers on model organisms are recognised as the canonical treatment of their distinctive epistemological and social features of model organisms, and are used not only in philosophy of science but also by practising scientists. My work on emerging technologies (including genetic modification and stem cell research), food, and agriculture employs empirical qualitative methodologies in a novel manner to produce findings that have direct relevant for public policy, and various stakeholders including those in related industries. I have brought a philosophical lens to policy discussions about food, through my distinctive use of the concept of ‘values’ to explore how people use food to express their identities and understandings not only of consumption but more generally about their everyday decision making. I am a recognised expert on deliberative and participatory approaches to policymaking, particularly about contested issues such as new technologies and food regulation, and have been consulted on these issues by regulators in Australia and internationally.

Professor, Departments of History and Philosophy, University of Adelaide; Honorary Visiting Professor, College of Social Science and International Studies (Philosophy), University of Exeter (UK).

Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science (elected 2021)

1. Rachel A. Ankeny (2022), “Gender and Science and Technology,” in Wendy Rogers, Stacy Carter, Vikki Entwistle, and Catherine Mills (eds.), Routledge Handbook of Feminist Bioethics. New York: Routledge.

2. Rachel A. Ankeny, Megan Munsie, and Joan Leach (2022), “Developing a Reflexive, Anticipatory, and Deliberative Approach to Unanticipated Discoveries: Ethical Lessons from iBlastoids,” American Journal of Bioethics 22: 36–45.

3. Emily A. Buddle, Heather J. Bray, and Rachel A. Ankeny (2021), “‘Of course we care!’: A Qualitative Exploration of Australian Livestock Producers’ Understandings of Farm Animal Welfare Issues,” Journal of Rural Studies 83: 50–59.

4. Rachel A. Ankeny and Sabina Leonelli (2020). Model Organisms. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

5. Michael Dietrich, Rachel A. Ankeny, Nathan Crowe, Sara Green, and Sabina Leonelli (2020), “How to Choose Your Research Organism,” Studies in History and Philosophy of Biological and Biomedical Sciences 80: 101227.