Michael Shanks

Michael Shanks is an archaeologist at Stanford University in California. He does what most people associate with archaeology - dig up the past - he's part of the team excavating the Roman town of Binchester in the north of England. His expertise in ancient Greece and Rome is also the basis for his interest in all manner of archaeological themes - the history of design, long term patterns in history, and heritage, that current fascination with the presence of the past. He has investigated the design of beer cans as well as ancient Greek perfume jars, has advised the Mayor of Rotterdam on cultural policy, and was a director of the Revs Program at Stanford - promoting the study of the history of the automobile as a key component of contemporary car design. He cherishes his connections with the Center for Design Research at Stanford.

Michael grew up in the English borders with Scotland (the experience still colors his outlook), and has had close association with the universities of Cambridge and Durham in the UK, Paris (the Sorbonne), Gothenburg in Sweden, Lampeter in Wales, and University College Dublin in Ireland. He was a director of Stanford Humanities Lab, and is now a senior faculty member of the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design - Stanford University's d.school, where he champions history and memory in enlightened design thinking and practice.