I write and teach twentieth century American history, focusing on the evolution of political institutions, the growth of cities and suburbs, the impact of economic globalization, and the emergence of high-technology economies. My book, Cities of Knowledge: Cold War Science and the Search for the Next Silicon Valley, explored how Silicon Valley came to be, why other U.S. regions did not become Silicon Valley, and what Cold War political economy had to do with it. My current research projects continue to explore the history of the knowledge-economy landscape in the US and beyond, engaging political history, business history, and environmental history to understand the shape of cities and the experiences of people who live in them. I teach in the Department of History at the University of Washington and received my PhD in History from the University of Pennsylvania and my BA from Northwestern University. From 1993 to 1997, I worked on economic and welfare policy in the Clinton Administration. Click here for my full CV.

Please explore the pages on this site to learn more about my current and past courses, research and writing, and professional activities as well as links to other online resources. Thanks for visiting!