A clear-eyed chronicler of histories that have shaped the modern era, David Schmit’s pioneering scholarship brings forth new ways to understand America’s metaphysical, medical, and psychological history.
Professor Schmit’s scholarly journey has been both interdisciplinary and cross-cultural. Following studies in India and a degree in anthropology, he earned his PhD in developmental psychology from the University of Minnesota. From 1991 to 2019 he was a professor of psychology and interdisciplinary studies at St. Catherine University in St. Paul, Minnesota, USA. He taught a range of courses; from human development to the history of mental illness, to examinations of the relation between religion and science, to the practice of mindfulness; from studies of Indian non-violence, to the Tibetan freedom struggle. In 2008, he won a National Science Foundation Scholar’s Award for his research on 19th century mesmerism. An accomplished public speaker, he has presented at major conferences in the history of science and medicine. Professor Schmit has served on editorial boards and as a reviewer for key journals in his field and is past president of the Minnesota Conference of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP). He continues his research from his home in Minnesota.