Dr Tina Eyre, Sir Martin Wood Curator of Oxford Science

My role as Curator of Oxford Science involves identifying significant science that is going on around Oxford and collaborating with the researchers involved to preserve their work in our collection, by collecting objects, digital material and oral history interviews.

Alongside this I'm getting to know our collection more deeply and identifying possible research areas.

Our collection is particularly rich in early photography, radio communication, astronomy, clocks and timepieces as well as X-ray equipment and anaesthetics.

I'd love to collaborate with anyone whose research would be enriched by our collections.

Research summary

Dr Tina Eyre, Sir Martin Wood Curator of Oxford Science

I'm interested in both the material culture of contemporary science and how this relates to the historic objects in our collection, as well as how we can break away from a fixed viewpoint to consider different knowledge systems and alternative narratives of science.

This includes the role of women in science, particularly in early photography. I am currently researching the role of our first curator, RT Gunther, and his relationships in the collection and appreciation of women’s early photography.

I want to understand how scientific objects reflect human culture and how the history of science relates to the history of imperialism. Other areas of interest are how science can be thought of as communication of knowledge, how museums can play a role in the communication of science, and the ethical responsibilities of the contemporary curator in this process.

Another interest lies in collections that relate to health and medicine and uncovering how local and traditional knowledge is incorporated into the scientific corpus, often without acknowledging its original owners.

I am also interested in themes of invention, how the figure of the inventor has changed over time and who is considered to be an inventor. I previously worked on collecting of contemporary objects and stories relating to the COVID pandemic as part of the Collecting COVID Project.

CV

Tina Eyre became Collecting COVID Curator at the History of Science Museum in 2021 and Sir Martin Wood Curator of Oxford Science in 2024. She has recently become an Associate of the Museums Association.

She previously worked and volunteered at a number of museums, particularly the Vale and Downland Museum in Wantage.

She holds a BSc (Hons) in Biochemistry and a PhD in Bioinformatics from University College London.