Alan D. Meyer

Alan D. Meyer serves as Associate Professor in the Department of History at Auburn University's College of Liberal Arts since joining the faculty in 2009. His office is located in 306-B Thach Hall with office hours held Wednesdays and Fridays from 2-3 pm and by appointment, contactable via phone 334-844-4331 and email adm0027@auburn.edu.

Dr. Meyer earned his BA in history from Western Michigan University followed by eight years of active duty service as a U.S. Army officer. He completed his PhD in American history and history of technology at the University of Delaware as a Hagley Fellow, subsequently working as a civilian historian for the U.S. Air Force in Washington, D.C. before arriving at Auburn. He maintains active status as a private pilot and recently retired from the U.S. Army Reserve at the rank of colonel.

His research spans aerospace and aviation history, gender and women's history, military history, history of technology and science, and social history. He is renowned for his 2015 monograph Weekend Pilots: Technology, Masculinity, and Private Aviation in Postwar America (Johns Hopkins University Press), which analyzes how technological mastery shaped gendered community identity among private pilots. His ongoing project Flying While Black critically examines the protracted racial integration of airline cockpits from the Civil Rights Era to contemporary times, revealing systemic barriers in aviation profession.

Dr. Meyer's scholarly recognition includes:

• Hagley Fellowship during doctoral studies at University of Delaware
• Smithsonian Research Fellowship with National Air and Space Museum

While his advising of graduate students and specific research grants are not detailed in available materials, his work bridges academic scholarship with practical aviation experience. No dedicated research laboratories or structured teams are mentioned, though his projects involve extensive archival work with institutions like the Smithsonian and National Archives.