The Social Life of Materials: Past.Present.Future

Principal Investigator
Prof. Christine Ortiz, Materials Science and Engineering; Ellan Spero, Materials Science and Engineering
Fund: d'Arbeloff Fund
Funding Period: AY2020
Department/Lab/Center: Materials Science and Engineering

This educational project aims to engage students in the process of intentionally bridging domains of knowledge, modes of inquiry, and pedagogies across disciplines through inquiry and research, with the development of a new cross-departmental undergraduate, 12-unit subject offered as a collaboration between the Departments of History (21H) and Materials Science and Engineering (3). The underlying philosophy of this subject is the belief that a thoughtful and sustainable future for materials development can only be shaped by a broad understanding of present challenges, and their historical origins. At the core of this subject are enduring historical questions with contemporary relevance to the discipline of materials science and engineering, and historical studies of science and technology: How have changes in the world of materials co-shaped daily life, human environmental impact, and the visions of possible futures? How can a more embedded knowledge of historical context help us better prepare scientists and engineers to foster a more equitable and sustainable future? How might we better understand and foster interdisciplinary practices through research based learning?  Throughout the semester, all students will work on a single, coherent research project that will integrate multiple methodologies from materials science and engineering, history, and social sciences in aspects of critical review, question definition, research design, interpretation and contextualization, generation of new knowledge, and dissemination The structure of each week is explicitly interdisciplinary, bringing together instructors and approaches from both the domains of historical analysis and contemporary materials science and engineering practices. Framed within the history of the MIT Department of Materials Science and Engineering and its ongoing research, smaller teams of students will investigate the trajectory of a selected class of materials, and the scientific developments and potential at the intersection of technical and social domains. Active learning pedagogical methods will be employed throughout, with class time devoted to discussion, collaboration, and hands-on research activities. Students will carry out research in the MIT Institute Archives and Special Collections and the MIT Museum, study oral histories, conduct interviews, carry out bibliometric analysis and review of journals and patents, and future-focused study and scenario mapping. The results of this group research project will culminate in a exhibit to be displayed in the DMSE public hallway space, as well as the DMSE website. To ensure feasibility of the final exhibit component, students will be engaged in identifying documents, and artifacts, as well as produce data visualizations, and text through regular course assignments that will contribute to the final exhibition materials.