Rachel Rothschild
Rachel is a fourth-year doctoral candidate in the History Department and in the History of Science and Medicine Program. Her academic interests include the history of earth and environmental science, international history, and environmental history in the 20th century. She is writing her dissertation on the history of acid rain in Europe, examining the scientific studies and diplomatic negotiations undertaken to address the problem. Her work analyzes how scientific consensus was reached on acid rain, the use of scientific expertise in forming environmental policies, the role of intergovernmental organizations and nongovernmental organizations in securing international agreements, and the development of legal instruments to provide a framework for countries to seek mutually agreeable solutions to transboundary air pollution.
During the 2012-2013 academic year, Rachel will be conducting archival research in the United Kingdom, Norway, France, and Belgium. Her dissertation project has received generous support from the American Meteorological Society, the American-Scandinavian Foundation, and the MacMillan Center for International and Area Studies. She is also the recipient of a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, and intends to seek ways for her scholarship to find wider application among government officials and the public.
Prior to Yale, Rachel earned a B.A. in History of Science from Princeton University, as well as certificates of study in Environmental Studies and Creative Writing. After graduating in 2008, she worked on international and environmental legal issues with a law firm in Washington, D.C. for energy corporations, foreign embassies and the federal government.
For many years Rachel spent much of her time figure skating, eventually becoming a member of Team USA and winning the senior national championship in synchronized skating as a member of the Haydenettes. When she is not studying, you will likely find her tearing up the ice while dancing the paso doble or argentine tango.
