My name is Jonathan (he/him).
I am a historian and ethnographer of modern sciences & environments. I am most interested in how archival and ethnographic methods can be brought to bear on how natural history, biology, and geology intersect with projects of resource-making, energy production, and environmental governance at sea.
As of 2026, I am Assistant Professor of the History of Science in the Department of History of Science, Technology, and Environment and in the Centre for Anthropocene History at KTH Stockholm.
My first book project examines how the co-evolution of ocean sciences and ocean law in the mid-20th century was deeply shaped by the speculative frontier of deep seabed minerals, with indelible impacts on the future possibilities for ocean governance.
My next project follows from deep-sea minerals to deep seawater, and evaluates the (pan-tropical) histories and futures of attempts to bring cold, nutrient-dense water to the surface for the production of energy, food, freshwater, and cold air.
Prior to arriving in Sweden, I was a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Science, Technology, and Society Cluster of the Asia Research Institute at the National University of Singapore. I earned my PhD in the Department of the History of Science at Harvard University in 2025.
In Singapore, I work with the NTU Centre for Contemporary Art and the Max Planck-NTU Centre for Biocultural Worlding on projects related to climate crises, maritime cultural history, and vernacular ocean governance.
I am founding a member of the Deep Currents Collective, an editor at H-Oceans, and secretary of The Pacific Circle.
My work has been recognized and supported by the Canada Program at the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, the Charles Warren Center for Studies in American History, the German Maritime Museum & Leibniz Institute for Maritime History, the World History Association, and by a Harvard University Presidential Fellowship.
Please see respective pages on this site for more information regarding teaching, writing, and speaking.
I am a historian and ethnographer of modern sciences & environments. I am most interested in how archival and ethnographic methods can be brought to bear on how natural history, biology, and geology intersect with projects of resource-making, energy production, and environmental governance at sea.
As of 2026, I am Assistant Professor of the History of Science in the Department of History of Science, Technology, and Environment and in the Centre for Anthropocene History at KTH Stockholm.
My first book project examines how the co-evolution of ocean sciences and ocean law in the mid-20th century was deeply shaped by the speculative frontier of deep seabed minerals, with indelible impacts on the future possibilities for ocean governance.
My next project follows from deep-sea minerals to deep seawater, and evaluates the (pan-tropical) histories and futures of attempts to bring cold, nutrient-dense water to the surface for the production of energy, food, freshwater, and cold air.
Prior to arriving in Sweden, I was a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Science, Technology, and Society Cluster of the Asia Research Institute at the National University of Singapore. I earned my PhD in the Department of the History of Science at Harvard University in 2025.
In Singapore, I work with the NTU Centre for Contemporary Art and the Max Planck-NTU Centre for Biocultural Worlding on projects related to climate crises, maritime cultural history, and vernacular ocean governance.
I am founding a member of the Deep Currents Collective, an editor at H-Oceans, and secretary of The Pacific Circle.
My work has been recognized and supported by the Canada Program at the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, the Charles Warren Center for Studies in American History, the German Maritime Museum & Leibniz Institute for Maritime History, the World History Association, and by a Harvard University Presidential Fellowship.
Please see respective pages on this site for more information regarding teaching, writing, and speaking.
Depressiscala nautlae in beach drift. Boca Raton, Florida. As a queer, Latino, first-generation university grad, I am as passionate about mentorship as I am about my research. If you think it would be helpful to chat about your plans in academia (or about ocean history, multispecies methods, or snails), please get in touch.
︎ galka@kth.se