Martijn van der Meer is a historian of science and medicine interested in how scientific knowledge shapes society. His research focuses on public health as an example of doing things together in modern societies, with case studies on vaccination, eugenics, and the ethical and historical dimensions of biomedical innovation. Martijn received training in the history and philosophy of science at Utrecht University and the University of Oxford, and in science and technology studies at the Dutch Graduate School for Science, Technology, and Modern Culture. Martijn has taught research integrity, philosophy of science, and the history of biology, and is passionate about keeping science a public activity. Beyond research, he has co-founded the Journal of Trial and Error, a platform for publishing negative and inconclusive results, and serves on the ORCID Researcher Advisory Council. Martijn has worked as a research policy and ethics advisor, contributing to Dutch and European science reform movements. His policy work has focused on rethinking academic career structures and scientific practice to better align with the values of open and responsible science.
At the Kavli Center, Martijn is focusing on the history of vaccination refusal under Professor Elena Conis. His work explores these refusals not as mere resistance but as acts of solidarity that highlight the complexities of local participation in public health. By exploring how communities engage—or choose not to engage—with biomedical innovation, he hopes to spark new conversations about the role of collective action in modern societies. If any of this resonates with you, I’d love to get in touch!
