John Cheng

John Cheng is a historian of nineteenth and twentieth-century America and the history of science and technology. His interests include popular culture, media, and technology; gender, race, and ethnic relations; the history of the earth, life, and human sciences and of computing; and historiography and critical theory.

John's book, Astounding Wonder: Imagining Science and Science Fiction in Interwar America, was published in March 2012 by the University of Pennsylvania Press. His new project, Barred Zones: The Strange Geography of Asian America, considers the relationship of race, geography, and place in Asian American history. John has contributed to museum exhibits, documentary projects, and web sites, including to California Newsreel's documentary series and web site, Race: The Power of an Illusion. He also holds a patent from youthful summers as a research intern.

While he used to play basketball, volleyball, and Ultimate frisbee, he now enjoys scenic bicycle rides and the company of friends and family, particularly his nieces and nephews.

Beginning Fall 2013 John will be an Assistant Professor in the Department of Asian and Asian American Studies at Binghamton University. He also posts regularly to a blog, The Planet Mongo Project (http://planet-mongo.com).