Julia's research focuses on social epistemologies of poisonous plants in early modern Europe and the Atlantic world. Utilizing historical ethnobotany, she examines how non-elite actors transmitted practical knowledge of toxic plants before the codification of modern forensic toxicology. Grounded in the history of herbal medicine, her work situates plant poisons within broader dynamics of everyday expertise, domestic healthcare, and the intersections of gender, power, and religion in early modern life.

Faculty advisor: Dr. Molly Warsh

Education & Training

BA (summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa), Environmental Studies and Asian Studies, Mount Holyoke College

Research Interests: 

History of Science

History of Medicine

Early Modern Ethnobotany

Social Epistemologies & Domestic Knowledge

The "Poison Imaginary" in Early Modern Europe and the Atlantic World

Gender, Power, and Religion in Early Modern Europe and the Atlantic World

Environmental History & Human-Nature Relationships

Political Ecology