Christopher Capozzola

Christopher Capozzola is a Professor of History at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and holds the Elting Morison Professorship. He currently serves as Senior Associate Dean for Open Learning, overseeing MIT’s open education initiatives, including OpenCourseWare, MITx, and MicroMasters, and manages the Digital Learning Lab and MIT Video Productions.

Education

• A.B., Harvard College (1994)
• Ph.D., Columbia University (2002)

Research Interests

Capozzola specializes in the history of citizenship, war, and the military in modern American history. His work explores intersections between voluntary associations, federal governance, and civic duty during World War I, as well as U.S.-Philippines military collaborations shaping the Pacific Century. He also engages in public history, co-curating The Volunteers: Americans Join World War I, 1914-1919 and advising the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project.

Scientific Awards

• MacVicar Faculty Fellow (MIT)
• Lois P. Rudnick Book Prize (New England American Studies Association)

Advising and Grants

Capozzola has served as Secretary of the MIT Faculty (2015-17) and Head of the MIT History Department (2020-22). His research for Bounded by War was supported by the Historical Society of Southern California, U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center, and the Charles Warren Center for Studies in American History.

Media and Public Engagement

He has appeared as a commentator on American Experience, CSPAN, History Channel, History Detectives, and Who Do You Think You Are?, and writes for outlets like The Boston Globe, The Washington Post, and POLITICO.