Wayne Soon
Associate Professor
Wayne Soon is an Associate Professor at the University of Minnesota, specifically within the Program of the History of Medicine in the Department of Surgery and the Program of History of Science, Medicine, and Technology. He holds a B.A. from Carleton College and a Ph.D. in history from Princeton University. Prior to his current role, he taught at Earlham College and Vassar College.12
Dr. Soon specializes in the history of medicine, focusing on modern China and Taiwan. His research explores how international medical practices and ideas have influenced Chinese East Asia, particularly in the twentieth century. He authored the book Global Medicine in China: A Diasporic History (Stanford University Press, 2020), which examines the contributions of diasporic Chinese medical personnel to military medicine, blood banking, mobile medicine, and medical education in China and Taiwan.12
His ongoing research includes topics such as the history of health insurance and medical practices in postwar China and Taiwan, as well as the transpacific history of SARS and COVID-19. Dr. Soon is also involved in editing a forthcoming special issue for East Asian Science, Technology and Society: An International Journal focusing on health insurance in East and Southeast Asia.12 Additionally, he frequently contributes to The Diplomat, a current affairs magazine, alongside publishing scholarly articles in various academic journals.1
