Arthur Petersen - Biography#

Arthur Petersen (DPA PhD MA MSc FISSR FIET FRSA FHEA) is Professor of Science, Technology and Public Policy at UCL and Editor of Zygon: Journal of Religion and Science. He joined UCL’s Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy (STEaPP) full-time in September 2014 after more than 13 years’ work as scientific adviser on environment and infrastructure policy within the Dutch Government. He served as Chief Scientist of the PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (2011–2014).

Professor Petersen studied physics and philosophy, obtained doctorate degrees in atmospheric sciences (PhD, Utrecht University, 1999) and philosophy of science & science studies (DPA, VU University Amsterdam, 2006), and now also finds disciplinary homes in anthropology, political science and science & religion. Most of his research is about dealing with uncertainty and ignorance. He is about to finish his third doctorate degree, in science & religion (DPhil, University of Oxford, expected award 2020).

Professor Petersen has taken on various senior leadership roles in the organisations that he has worked in, including member of the Executive Board at PBL and Head of Department at PBL and UCL.