Erik Conway
- Professor // History
Research Focus
History of science and technology in the 20th century; aerospace history; history of earth and planetary sciences, agnotology
Office and Contact
I’m a historian of science and technology and was the historian at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory until relocating to Purdue University in 2025.
Most of my work has been at the intersection of science and technology in the later 20th century, and mostly related to aerospace. My most recent book is The Big Myth: How American Business Taught us to Loathe the Government and Love the Free Market with Naomi Oreskes. I also recently published A History of Near-Earth Objects Research, with Donald K Yeomans and Meg Rosenburg, published by NASA in July 2022.
My current research involves the development of 20th century earth and planetary sciences, personal tales of Mars exploration, and agnotology.
Prior to graduate school, I served as an officer in the U.S. Navy for four years. I downhill ski (mostly at the wonderful Mammoth Mountain in California.) and scuba dive. I practice high power rocketry (NAR Level 2) in my free time. My current personal altitude record is 22,098 feet AGL in Black Rock Desert, Nevada, achieved during XPRS 2019.
Willing to advise students interested in history of earth and planetary sciences, aerospace history, renewable energy histories, and history of science and technology policy in the United States.