Curriculum Vitae

GAIL MARLOW TAYLOR, Ph.D.

BOOKS

You Can Only Go Forward: A Journey of Caregiving and Hope, Loss and Renewal. 2018. Available in print and Kindle editions on Amazon and in a digital edition on Barnes & Noble.

The Alchemy of Al-Razi: A Translation of the Book of Secrets. 2014. Available in print and Kindle editions on Amazon.

EDUCATION

Ph.D. in History,  2014, University of California, Irvine                                                                                           First field: Early Modern Europe    Second Field: World History                                                                                                                 Dissertation : “Putting Down Roots: The Reception of New World Medicinal Plants in Early Modern Germany, 1492-  1648”

M. A. in History,   2008       California State University, Fullerton                                                                                                  Thesis: “Al-Razi’s Book of Secrets: The Practical Laboratory in the Medieval Islamic World”

B.S. in Biology, 1966   University of Pittsburgh     

GRANTS AND AWARDS

Fulbright Scholarship, Germany, September 2011 – June 2012

Thyssen Foundation Pre-Dissertation Fellowship, Germany, July 2011 – August 2011

Archival Summer Seminar, German Historical Institute, Germany, June 2011 – June 2011

Giles T. Brown Outstanding Thesis Award, CSF, Fullerton, May 2009

World History Assn/ Phi Alpha Theta Paper Prize, Graduate Division, September 2008

Lawrence B. de Graaf Prize, Best Overall Paper, PAT, CSF, April 2008

First Prize, Graduate Paper, PAT Regional Conf., Chapman University, April 2008

Ben H. Procter Research Paper Award, Best European Paper, Southwestern Social Science Association Conference, Las Vegas, NV, April 2008

TEACHING AND RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

University of California, Irvine:  Teaching Assistant—to Professor Evers in “Europe: Terror and Redemption.” Winter Quarter 2014. Gave lecture on WWI, met with students, graded homework, exams, essays

Teaching Assistant—to Professor Moeller in “Hitler and the Germans.” Winter Quarter 2011  Taught two weekly discussion sections, met with students, graded homework, exams, essays

Teaching Assistant—to Professor Wiener in “American Political History: FDR to Obama.” Fall Quarter 2010.  Taught two weekly discussion sections, met with students, graded homework, exams, essays

Research Assistant—to Professor Strasser, Early Modern Europe. September 2009 – August 2010. Locate and compile information on gathering, networks, and distribution of medical and botanical knowledge by Jesuit missionaries in the Philippines, seventeenth century.

PRESENTATIONS

“Al-Razi: Alchemy and the Lab,” Guest speaker for regional Mensa meeting, Honolulu, Hawaii. Nov. 5, 2020. (PowerPoint on Zoom).

“Al-Razi: Alchemy and the Lab,” Guest lecturer for Professor Joachim Burgtorf’s Medieval History Class, California State University, Fullerton. Fullerton, CA. Oct. 5, 2020. (PowerPoint on Zoom).

“Alchemy: The Laboratory’s Quest for Gold.”   Guest speaker at the San Diego Mensa Regional Gathering 2014, San Diego, CA. 2014

“World War I: The Reconfiguration of Europe.” Guest lecturer, for Professor Kai Evers’ European Studies class: Modern Europe Terror and Redemption, University of California, Irvine.  2014

“Saying Good-bye to Alchemy: The Laboratory Then and Now.”  Guest Speaker for Mission Hospital Laboratory, Christmas Brunch, Mission Viejo, CA. 2012

“Inside al-Razi’s Book of Secrets: Alchemy and the Laboratory Manual.” Guest lecturer for Professor Joachim Burgtorf’s Medieval History Class, California State University, Fullerton. Fullerton, CA. 2011

PUBLICATIONS AND PAPERS

“The Book of Secrets: Alchemy and the Laboratory Manual from al-Razi to Libavius.” Paper presented at the PAT/WHA Conference, San Diego, CA. 2010

“The Physicians of Jundishapur.” Sassanika: The History and Culture of Sassanians, UC Irvine School of Humanities, http://www.sassanika.com. 2010

“The Kitab al-Asrar: An Alchemy Manual in Tenth-Century Persia”                                                                                               Arab Studies Quarterly 32 (Winter 2010): 6-27.

“Virus 956: The Discovery of the West Nile Virus in Uganda, 1937-1940.” Paper presented at the Pacific Coast Branch, American Historical Association, Albuquerque, NM. 2009

“By the Book: Alchemy and the Laboratory Manual from al-Razi to Libavius”                                                                               Chronicle of Historical Studies, Vol. 6 (Winter 2008-09): 175-188.

“Alchemy and the Laboratory Manual from al-Razi to Libavius, 920-1597.” Paper presented at the Phi Alpha Theta Southern California Regional Conference, Chapman University, Orange, CA. 2008

“By the Book: Alchemy and the Laboratory Manual from al-Razi to Libavius, 920-1597.” Paper presented at the Southwestern Social Science Annual Meeting, Las Vegas, NV. 2008

“By the Book.” Intervalles: La Revue électronique du CIPA, Interdisciplinary Transcriptions from The Centre Interdisciplinaire de Poétique Appliquée (CIPA), Université de Liège, Belgique (online).  2008

COMPUTER SKILLS

Proficient in Word, Excel, PowerPoint

Blog: History’s Edge  gailmtaylor.com

LANGUAGES

English—native language

French—Speak, read, write at advanced intermediate level

German—Speak, read, write at advanced intermediate level

MEMBERSHIPS

Phi Alpha Theta (History Honors Society)

American History Association

World History Association

PROFESSIONAL ACCREDITATION

Clinical Laboratory Scientist, State of California (CLS)

American Society of Clinical Pathologists, national certification in Medical Technology (ASCP)

Specialist in Blood Bank, national certification, (SBB)