Professor of civil and environmental engineering
He has been called “America's Poet Laureate of Technology,” having authored more than 15 popular books on engineering and technology, most of which deal with engineering’s close reliance on failure to perfect designs and the evolution of common items such as the pencil and bridges. As an expert on the evolution of engineering design, Petroski is uniquely qualified to speak about the nation’s aging critical infrastructure.
“When it comes to adopting self-driving cars and trucks, the easiest part may well be building them. The far more difficult task will be maintaining our urban transportation infrastructures for autonomous vehicles to be functional, safe and practical.”
The Wall Street Journal
In his latest book, “The Road Taken,” civil engineer and historian Henry Petroski explores the history, technology and politics involved in everything from constructing the largest bridge span to filling the smallest pothole. He also examines the challenges we face in fixing our myriad infrastructure problems.
NPR’s “The Diane Rehm Show”
Politicians love to say the word “infrastructure,” says Henry Petroski. But turning words into action is a different matter.
“By having all fuel taxes originate in and go directly to the states, skipping the indecisive middlemen in Washington, our roads and bridges can be more efficiently funded, fixed, maintained and improved,” writes Henry Petroski, a professor of civil engineering and history.
the New York Times
