Mary Jo Nye (born December 5, 1944) is an American historian of science and Horning Professor in the Humanities emerita of the History Department at Oregon State University.

She began her undergraduate studies as a chemistry major at Vanderbilt University, but became interested in history of science after taking a class from Robert Siegfried.

Nye's generation of scholars is credited with creating a shift that embraces international perspectives and examines the interactions of politics and science.

[4][7] Mary Jo's work has brilliantly illuminated important areas of the history of modern European and American physics and chemistry ...

Her elegant writing is always a joy to read, her research as deep as it is broad and her historical arguments are judicious and convincing.Mary Jo Nye lives in Oregon with her husband, historian of sexuality Robert A.