Arthur Molella

Arthur Molella is the Jerome and Dorothy Lemelson Director Emeritus of the Smithsonian Institution’s Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation at the National Museum of American History. He is the Center’s founding director. He received his M.A. and Ph.D. in the history of science from Cornell University. In 2005, he was awarded a Doctor of Science, honoris causa, from Westminster University, U.K. At the National Museum of American History, he has also served variously as Curator of Electricity, Chairman of the Dept. History of Science and Technology, and Assistant Director for History. He is also Senior Lecturer in the Dept. History of Science and Technology, the Johns Hopkins University. He was head curator of the Smithsonian’s Science in American Life exhibition and co-curator of the international exhibition, Nobel Voices, a celebration of the centenary of the Nobel Prize. With colleagues at Westminster and Johns Hopkins Universities, he is co-sponsor of the International Eco-city Initiative. He has published and lectured widely on the relations between science, technology and culture. His publications include Inventing for the Environment (ed. with Joyce Bedi, MIT, 2003) and Invented Edens: Techno-Cities of the 20th Century (with Robert Kargon, MIT, 2008). Dr. Molella served on the selection committee for the National Inventors Hall of Fame, including special Blue Ribbon panels for historical inductees. In addition to the National Academy of Inventors, he currently sits on the boards of the National Inventors Hall of Fame and of the MIT Museum.