Salman Hameed
Charles Taylor Chair and Associate Professor of Integrated Science & Humanities
Dr. Hameed is Charles Taylor Chair and associate professor of integrated science & humanities in the school of Cognitive Science at Hampshire College, Massachusetts, US. He holds a Ph.D. in astronomy from New Mexico State University at Las Cruces and a B.S. in physics and astronomy from the State University of New York at Stony Brook.
His research and teaching lies at the intersections of science and society. I am also heavily involved in science/astronomy outreach both in English (in the US) and in Urdu (in South Asia).
Research
Dr. Hameed's primary research interest focuses on understanding the reception of science in the Muslim societies and how Muslims view the relationship between science & religion. In particular, he is interested in understanding the social, cultural and political factors that shape of perception of evolution in diverse Muslim societies.
He led a 4-year National Science Foundation (NSF) study to the reception of biological evolution amongst Muslim physicians and medical students in Pakistan, Turkey, Malaysia, Indonesia, UK, and the US. Currently, he working on a similar project in Iran.
Outreach
Dr. Hameed's interest in science and astronomy was inspired by Carl Sagan's Cosmos. For this reason, he deeply value both science communication and broad public outreach. In addition to writing newspaper articles and giving public talks, he has a weekly radio segment on WRSI FM93.9 in Northampton, MA. He also founded Kainaat Studios and host a weekly astronomy show in Urdu on YouTube, aimed at promoting curiosity and critical thinking for audience in South Asia.