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. My first book project examines how global ocean (un)governance came to be shaped by the co-evolution of ocean sciences and ocean law in the mid-20th century, through the case of deep seabed minerals. My second project follows from deep-sea minerals to deep seawater, and evaluates the history and future of attempts to bring cold, nutrient-dense water to the surface for the production of energy, food, freshwater, and cold air.
I am currently 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 on projects related to climate crises, maritime cultural history, and ocean infrastructure. I am also a member of the Deep Currents Collective, an editor at H-Oceans, and secretary of The Pacific Circle.
My work has been 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, 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. My first book project examines how global ocean (un)governance came to be shaped by the co-evolution of ocean sciences and ocean law in the mid-20th century, through the case of deep seabed minerals. My second project follows from deep-sea minerals to deep seawater, and evaluates the history and future of attempts to bring cold, nutrient-dense water to the surface for the production of energy, food, freshwater, and cold air.
I am currently 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 on projects related to climate crises, maritime cultural history, and ocean infrastructure. I am also a member of the Deep Currents Collective, an editor at H-Oceans, and secretary of The Pacific Circle.
My work has been 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, 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 college grad, I am as passionate about mentorship as I am about my research. If you’re considering graduate school, and think it would be helpful to chat about your plans (or ocean history, or multispecies methods, or snails), please get in touch.
︎ jgalka@g.harvard.edu