Prof. David Mindell

Frances and David Dibner Professor of the History of Engineering and Manufacturing
Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Co-Chair, MIT Task Force on the Work of the Future
Executive Chairman, Humatics
Co-Founder and Partner, Unless

Areas of Interest and Expertise

History of Electrical and Computer Technology
History of Feedback Control
History of Automation in the Military
Technology Policy (Historical and Current)
Deep Ocean Robotic Archaeology
Complex Systems Research Lab (CSRL)

Research Summary

Professor Mindell is an expert in human relationships with robotics and autonomous systems, he has led or participated in more than 25 oceanographic expeditions. From 2005 to 2011, he was director of MIT’s Program in Science, Technology, and Society. He is co-founder of Humatics Corporation, which develops technologies to transform how robots and autonomous systems work in human environments. Mindell has a BS in electrical engineering and BA in literature, both from Yale University, and a Ph.D. in the history of technology from MIT.

Recent Work