Matthew S. Wiseman, PhD

July 9, 2024

Matthew S. Wiseman is a Canadian historian, author, and lecturer in the Department of History at the University of Waterloo. His research and teaching focuses on the social and cultural history of twentieth-century North America, including the role of public history and the development of modern science, technology, and medical research ethics. With an eye to understanding the social dynamics of science, his published work examines the complex political and moral dimensions of state-sponsored research conducted at government, private, and academic institutions.

An expert on the institutional history of government science in Canada, Dr. Wiseman’s publications include work on the military applications of science and the role of military research and development in protecting and promoting Canadian interests in the areas of security and national defence. In this light, he has studied the history of Canada’s two primary federal science sponsoring bodies: the National Research Council and Defence Research and Development Canada. His work on the development of science policy in Canada has produced several publications on the social and environmental implications of government-sponsored research activities, revealing key findings that address the ethical uses of science in military and civilian contexts, both past and present.

Dr. Wiseman holds a PhD in Canadian History from Wilfrid Laurier University and the Tri-University Graduate Program in History. Before joining the University of Waterloo, he held a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada Postdoctoral Fellowship in the Department of History at the University of Toronto, an Associated Medical Services History of Medicine and Healthcare Postdoctoral Fellowship in the Department of History at Western University, and a Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship in the Department of History at St. Jerome’s University.

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