Dr. Zachary Loeb

Biography

Zachary Loeb is an Assistant Professor in the College of Liberal Arts at Purdue University. His research focuses on the intersections of computing, cybersecurity, technology, and disasters. In particular, he examines the ways technological developments, especially in computing, create and exacerbate both real and imagined risks. He received his PhD in 2023 in the History and Sociology of Science from the University of Pennsylvania, supported by institutions such as the Charles Babbage Institute and the Andrea Mitchell Center for the Study of Democracy. Currently, he is working on a book project about the Y2K computing crisis, tentatively titled “Almost Midnight: Y2K Race to Save the World as We Know It.” This project traces how various groups, including professionals, journalists, and community activists, attempted to make sense of the Y2K problem and the steps they took to prevent potential calamity. His work has appeared in notable publications such as the Washington Post, TIME, and Real Life Magazine, and has included media appearances on CNN and NPR. Loeb is also interested in the history of cybersecurity and the social disruptions caused by computing failures, drawing on the critiques of past technology critics like Lewis Mumford and Joseph Weizenbaum. He is open to accepting graduate students interested in the History of Technology, Computing, and Disasters.

Research Interests