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Durham History Department
Student walking outside the Department of History

International physics honour for Durham University historian

20 October 2022
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Joseph D Martin smiles at camera standing in the countryside

A leading body representing physicists across the world has presented one of its most prestigious honours to a Durham historian.

Dr Joseph D. Martin has been named as a Fellow of the American Physical Society (APS). 

The honour recognises Dr Martin’s “important research on the history and evolution of condensed matter physics” and the outstanding contributions his research has made to physics. 

Historian of science and technology 

Dr Martin is a historian of science and technology, focusing on the modern physical sciences. 

His current research looks at how the category “science”, as compared with other ways of organising knowledge of the natural world, gained prestige and authority through the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. 

Some of his other research interests include the sciences of stuff — solid state physics, condensed matter physics, and materials science. 

Dr Martin was recommended for the APS Fellowship by the American Physical Society Forum on History and Philosophy of Physics (FHPP). 

He said: “I’m delighted by this recognition from my colleagues and friends at APS and FHPP, which I’ll regard as a reminder of what a pleasure it has been working with them to bring historians and physicists into conversation.” 

Find out more 

  • Discover more about Dr Joseph D Martin’s research. 

  • Set within the magnificent location of Durham’s World Heritage Site, the Department of History at Durham has established itself firmly as one of the top three in the UK. Our research and teaching extend from late antiquity and the Middle Ages to contemporary history; from the British Isles and continental Europe to the USA, Africa and East Asia; and across social, cultural, gender, visual, scientific, political and economic history. Feeling inspired? Visit our History webpages for more information on our undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.  

  • The American Physical Society represents more than 50,000 members, including physicists in academia, national laboratories, and industry in the United States and throughout the world. Find out more about its fellowships. 

  • Research at Durham University cuts across academic boundaries. Find out more.