Profile for Melina Packer

Melina Packer, Race, Gender & Sexuality Studies, was a finalist for the 2026 Rachel Carson Book Prize from the Society for Social Studies of Science (4S). Melina Packer's co-authored book, "Feminism in the Wild," (MIT Press 2025), was one of six finalists for this award.

Submitted on: Oct. 28

Melina Packer, Race, Gender & Sexuality Studies, co-authored the article "How Gender Stereotypes Got Written Into Evolution," published on March 30 by Atmos Earth. A flawed fruit fly experiment helped harden Victorian stereotypes about sex into scientific “principles.” Feminist biologists have been challenging those assumptions and the theory built on them for decades.

Submitted on: April 11

Melina Packer, Race, Gender & Sexuality Studies, was interviewed by Amy Martin of Threshold Conversations (podcast) on Feb. 17.

Submitted on: Mar. 26

Melina Packer, Race, Gender & Sexuality Studies, was interviewed by Kyle Johannsen of New Books Network on Jan. 13.

Submitted on: Jan. 14

Melina Packer, Race, Gender & Sexuality Studies, co-authored the article "Let's Talk About Sex *and* Race" in "This View of Life," published on Dec. 2 by ProSocial World.

Submitted on: Dec. 3, 2025