Bridging the Divide: The Intersection of STEM and the Humanities

Some of the most influential scientists of all time, including Albert Einstein, recognized the necessity of the Humanities as a counterpart for scientific inquiry. However, this opinion is not widespread. Many believe subjects within the STEM field to be more “real-world-applicable” than their Humanities counterparts– a perception reflected by the upward trend of STEM degree paths among undergraduate students. And as the interest gap between the Sciences and the Humanities widens, some academics are beginning to wonder if they can ever truly be reconciled within a university classroom.

Elizabeth Apple, a PhD candidate and professor in Duke’s English Department, aims to bridge this divide. While assisting Duke English professors in courses such as Composition & Rhetoric, Dreams in Literature, and Writing About Place, Apple noticed a significant overlap between students’ interest in English and the Sciences– particularly among those pursuing a career in Medicine. Recognizing a need for opportunities to combine these two fields, she now leads two uniquely interdisciplinary courses: Women, Witchcraft, and Medicine in Early American Literature and Literature & Medicine. Both of these classes aim to contextualize topics of Medicine within a historical literary canon. 

“Health is not just a matter of science,” Apple declares when asked about the value of integrating the Humanities and Medicine. “It comes down to a personal level.” For Apple, literature serves as a helpful background for medical professionals because it can “enrich the ways that we think about broader concepts of health.” Through literary studies, medical students become adept at “reading the narratives around health and disease,” gaining the “critical tools necessary to be able to look at discourse and take it apart.” 

Perhaps even more imperative than this health-narrative literacy are the skills needed to compare and contrast past and present applications of Medicine. This becomes especially relevant, Apple explains, when it comes to major health crises like COVID-19. Studying the humanities allows scientists to take on a historical perspective, which in turn, helps them better understand and critique the responses to a given illness.

“Duke students intuitively understand why the Humanities matter,” Apple affirms.This is very likely a result of the school’s educationally-dynamic culture. As an institution, Duke encourages interdisciplinary studies in the classroom, and therefore continues to attract multidimensional students. Initiatives like Duke Science & Society, which fosters the application of ethical and human studies to scientific and technological progress, reflect student body interest. As a university committed to the liberal arts and interdisciplinary education, Duke is working to provide a more unified academic landscape.

 However, there are still challenges to convincing a STEM-oriented majority of the Humanities’ value. These roadblocks begin in the classroom.

Apple notes that something she continues to struggle with is “articulating to students that literature really has something to offer in its own right, more than just making them better doctors or students.” Stressing that the study of literature is not just a stepping stone on the way to a successful career in Medicine, Apple argues that reading instills in those who harness it a sense of empathy, an ability to navigate moral dilemmas, and critical and creative approaches to dissecting societal institutions. The acquisition of these qualities is a feat worthwhile in itself.

Unfortunately, not everyone agrees. “The world is turning increasingly toward STEM,” Apple laments, commenting on the steady decline of Humanities majors since the financial crisis of 2008. “We have to work a lot harder to justify why the Humanities matter, and what they bring to the table.” 

But how can this be accomplished in a world geared toward the clear-cut applications of STEM? Apple suggests that demonstrating interest–whether it be through the promotion of interdisciplinary courses, forming undergraduate reading groups, or simply emphasizing the vitality of the Humanities (particularly literature) via word of mouth–is key. “It starts with grassroots interest,” she says, “from there we get these larger initiatives.” Regarding the future of the arts at the university, Apple remains optimistic: “So much great work has already been done. More and more conversations are starting to percolate at this time; the world is beginning to recognize that literature has value.”