Ellan Spero draws upon a multidisciplinary background in history, science, and design, to address the ways that people envision human progress, through the institutions, objects, and narratives that they create. Dr. Spero is an instructor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, and co-founder, and Professor of the Practice at Station1, a nonprofit higher education institution focused on socially-directed science and technology. At both MIT and Station1, Spero develops and teaches integrative, interdisciplinary curriculum bringing the history of science and technology and a material culture approach to collaborate with scientists and engineers. Her current primary research project addresses the materiality infrastructure systems, and technologies of resilience. Spero holds a Ph.D. from MIT in History, Anthropology, Science, Technology and Society, a B.S. and M.S. from Cornell University in Fiber Science and Apparel Design, and M.A from the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in Museum Studies and Textile Conservation.
