About
Salman Hameed is Charles Taylor Chair and associate professor of integrated science & humanities in the school of Cognitive Science. 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 primary research interest focuses on understanding the reception of science in the Muslim world and how Muslims view the relationship between science & religion.
He led a 4-year National Science Foundation funded study on the reception of biological evolution in diverse Muslim societies. He is also leading a study to understand and analyze the discourse and participants in online Islam and Science videos.
His other research interests include analyzing reconciliation efforts over sacred objects and places of astronomical importance. His past astronomy research focused on understanding star formation in spiral galaxies.
He has taught courses on “Evolution, Islam, and modernity”, “Science in the Muslim world”, “Creating science fiction short films using real science” (with Dr. Jason Tor), “Science & Religion: Biological evolution in the public sphere”, “Aliens: Close Encounters of a Multidisciplinary Kind” and “History and Philosophy of Science & Religion” (with Dr. Laura Sizer) at Hampshire College.
​
Education
1989-1993
Stony Brook University, New York, USA
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Physics & Astronomy
1994-2001
New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico, USA
Doctorate of Philosophy in Astronomy
2001-2005
Five College Astronomy Department, Massachusetts, USA
Postdoctoral Fellowship
Select Classes
-
Sagans for the 21st Century: Creating Short Videos for YouTube.
-
Aliens: Close Encounters of a Multidisciplinary Kind.
-
Darwin in the Muslim World.
-
Biological Evolution in the Public Sphere.
-
History of Science in the Muslim World.
-
Astronomy & Public Policy.