The above image was created using Google Gemini using the following input: Create a stylized image that shows the evolution of technology from the very first tools to our current day.
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With a $2 million gift, the UC Irvine School of Humanities has established the Quilter Endowed Chair in the History of Technology, a new faculty position that will examine how technological innovation has shaped human civilization throughout history.
The gift from Charles J. Quilter II, Ph.D. ‘10, a UCI history alumnus and retired veteran and pilot, and his wife Ann Hutchinson Quilter, M.S. ‘79, will support groundbreaking research into technology’s role in society.
“Technology has been a powerful force in human history from the first use of tools to the advent of artificial intelligence and beyond,” explains Quilter, who earned his M.A. and Ph.D. in history from UCI. “Through multidisciplinary study of its history and its consequent effects for better or ill, it is my hope that this gift continues to provide insights into the human condition and our future as a species.”
Quilter’s perspective on technology reflects his deep understanding of historical patterns. “As a pretty old student myself of the history of technology as a disruptor of humankind, I would argue that it is not over for humanists,” he said in a 2025 School of Humanities commencement address. “We humans have been through these existential crises before. AI is just another disruptor in the history of humankind.”
Quilter’s connection to UCI spans decades, beginning in the 1950s when he drove past the site daily while the university was being planned. After completing his undergraduate work at UC Berkeley and a career as an aviator, he eventually returned to UCI for graduate studies. “Being an older grad student amongst bright and inquisitive teachers and students at UCI was one of the great pleasures of my life,” he reflects. “It feels right to give back and support the institution that has given me so much.”
Addressing critical academic needs
As artificial intelligence reshapes industries and climate technology races to address global challenges, the endowed chair will support new instruction and research at UCI in one of the most urgent areas of our time. The position will be filled by July 1, 2026, following a national search that has already begun.
“With the pandemic, climate change and the recent emergence of new AI technologies, scientific and technological literacy and a critical understanding of medicine and public health are more crucial than ever,” explains Alex Borucki, professor and chair of the Department of History. “Building capacity for the study of ‘human dimensions of Science and Technology’ is a key strategic goal of the humanities in general and the History Department in particular.”
The chair will strengthen UCI’s existing faculty expertise in the history of science and technology, as well as related areas like environmental history and urbanism. Research opportunities for both faculty and students will be extensive, with the chair receiving dedicated research development support from UCI’s Humanities Center and access to internal funding opportunities from the Office of Research.
Fostering interdisciplinary innovation
The new position will create opportunities for collaboration across UCI’s campus, working with colleagues in the School of Social Sciences, Social Ecology, Public Health, Information and Computer Sciences and other STEM fields.
Students will benefit through new graduate courses that draw students from multiple departments and co-mentoring opportunities that promote interdisciplinary training at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. The position responds to strong undergraduate interest in technology-related fields, particularly among STEM majors and STEM-humanities double-majors seeking to understand the broader implications of their work.
“The School of Humanities is committed to integrating a humanistic and historical perspective into the study of science, technology and medicine,” emphasizes Borucki. “The Quilter Endowed Chair in the History of Technology builds on that strength and highlights the relevance of historical understanding to disciplines focused on today’s most pressing issues.”
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