Needham Research Institute

{{Short description|Research centre in Cambridge, England}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{Infobox institute

| name = Needham Research Institute

| image = Needham research institute cambridge.jpg

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| alt = A building of Chinese-inspired shape but brick construction, beyond a lawn, a sculpture, ornamental trees, and hedges.

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| coordinates = {{Coord|52.2050|0.1018|type:edu_region:GB-CAM|display=inline,title}}

| city = Cambridge

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| province = Cambriddgeshire

| country = United Kingdom

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| address = 8 Sylvester Road, Cambridge CB3 9AF, England

| website = http://www.nri.cam.ac.uk/index.html

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The Needham Research Institute (NRI; {{lang-zh |t = 李約瑟研究所 }}),{{cite web |url = http://www.intute.ac.uk/healthandlifesciences/cgi-bin/fullrecord.pl?handle=30125090 |title = Intute: Health and Life Sciences — Full record details for Needham Research Institute |publisher = Intute (formerly the Resource Discovery Network) |access-date=2009-06-25 }} located on the grounds of Robinson College, in Cambridge, England, is a centre for research into the history of science, technology and medicine in East Asia. The institute is named after the biochemist and historian Joseph Needham, who initiated the Science and Civilisation in China series. The current director is Mei Jianjun, a noted archaeo-metallurgist.

The organization was founded as the East Asian History of Science Trust in August 1968. In June 1983 the trustees conferred the title Needham Research Institute.{{cite web |url = http://www.nri.cam.ac.uk/NRI%20Newsletter%20No.1%20Jan%201987a.pdf |title = Needham Research Institute |date = January 1987 |work = Needham Research Institute Newsletter |access-date=2018-03-02 }} The Trustees of the NRI is a registered charity.{{cite web |url = http://www.nri.cam.ac.uk/index.html|title=Needham Research Institute |access-date=2018-03-02 }}

The institute grew out of Needham's research collection, which was originally housed in Gonville and Caius College, where he was Master until his retirement in 1976. After several moves, it moved into its current purpose-built structure in Robinson College in 1991. The building was designed in the Chinese style, and has been described by its architect as "East Anglian Asian".{{cite news |url = https://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/obituaryjoseph-needham-1612984.html |title = OBITUARY: Joseph Needham |date=1995-03-27 |access-date=2010-06-20 |newspaper=The Independent |location=London |first=Mansel |last=Davies }}