Margaret R. Eby


PhD Candidate in Sociology

University of California, Berkeley


I'm a PhD candidate in Sociology studying experts and expertise. My historical work on eugenics traces the designation of expert tasks and the legitimization of new forms of expertise, ultimately focusing on the mechanisms through which experts leverage such legitimacy to strengthen and expand their jurisdictional boundaries. My research on the ongoing negotiation of new forms of expertise—AI and genetic engineering—investigates how these mechanisms continue to play out in professional debates. And finally, my ongoing project on the labor process of teaching examines these processes self reflexively: how do I, as a sociologist, contribute to the dissemination of knowledge and encourage broader participation in the project of building expertise? 

My work has been published in Work and Occupations, Journal of Historical Sociology, PloS One, BMC Medical Education, and Globalization and Health. Before pursuing my doctorate, I graduated from NYU with a B.A. in Public Health and History.