This encyclopedia investigates the complex evolution of science, medicine, and technology within the United States from the colonial period to the present day. Edited by Hugh Richard Slotten, this reference work compiles contributions from numerous scholars to examine how these fields have shaped and been shaped by American social, political, and economic structures. The text provides a comprehensive framework for understanding the interplay between intellectual discovery and institutional development across centuries of American history.

Experts and academic reviewers recognize this work as a foundational reference for students and researchers in the history of science and technology. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose and the rigorous, scholarly approach taken by the contributors.