W. Patrick McCray

W. Patrick McCray is a Professor in the History Department at the University of California, Santa Barbara, specializing in the histories of technology and science since 1945. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Arizona (1996). His research bridges disciplines, examining intersections of art, technology, and science, with a focus on Cold War collaborations, computing history, and futurism. Currently, he is completing a book titled *README* (MIT Press, 2025), analyzing how computers became culturally pervasive through their representation in books. He is also a Kluge Chair in Technology and Society (2025–2026).

McCray’s work spans books like *Making Art Work* (2020), exploring artist-engineer collaborations, and *The Visioneers* (2013), which won the Watson Davis Prize. His honors include fellowships from the AAAS and APS, and roles at the Smithsonian’s Lemelson Center and the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research. His teaching includes courses on technology history, computing, and the atomic age. McCray’s research also addresses environmental history, space exploration, and nanotechnology governance.

Key projects include exploring habitability’s intersections with space and environmental science, and studying mountain cultures in the American West. His writing extends to public venues like the *Los Angeles Review of Books*, where he critiques tech culture and innovation narratives. He is a renowned voice on topics like Silicon Valley’s societal impacts and the myth of the 'independent inventor.'