Expertise
History of Computing, Digital Literacy, Science & Technology Studies, Professional & Technical Writing
Education
- Ph.D.: English, (2014), University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign - Champaign, IL
- MA: English, (2008), Temple University - Philadelphia, PA
- BA: English, (2006), University of Louisville - Louisville, KY
Biosketch
Michael L. Black specializes in studying the intersections between computing and writing. His first book, "Transparent Designs: Personal Computing and the Politics of User-Friendliness" (Johns Hopkins University Press 2022), documents the rhetorical history of usability in the first decade of American personal computing. His work has appeared in "Science, Technology, and Human Values;" "Digital Humanities Quarterly;" "The International Journal for Humanities and Arts Computing;" and "Games and Culture." His other research interests include digital literacy, rhetorical code studies, large scale text analysis, Internet culture, and technical communication. Prior to joining the faculty at UMass Lowell, Michael served as an Associate Director for the Institute for Computing in Humanities, Art, and Social Science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.