Description
The first American to receive a Ph.D. in history of science, Cohen was a distinguished historian of science at Harvard who also wrote about early computer history there. He was a Harvard undergraduate ('37) and then a Ph.D. student and protégé of George Sarton, who was the founder of Isis and the History of Science Society.
Cohen taught at Harvard from 1942 until his death, and his tenure was marked by the development of Harvard's program in the history of science. He went on to succeed Sarton as editor of Isis (1952–1958) and, later, president of the Society (1961–1962). Cohen was also a president of the International Union of the History and Philosophy of Science.
