Overview
Robert Buerglener, PhD, is a Research Associate in Information Science + Studies at Duke University. His scholarly interests include material culture, technology, and the built environment in the United States from the early nineteenth through the twentieth centuries. In addition to teaching in these fields, he has worked extensively in public history and history museums in roles ranging from volunteer docent to executive director. He also helped found and lead a consortium of historic house museums in the Chicago region.
At Duke, he created and supervises the North Carolina Lives and Legacies Project, which fosters collaboration between Duke students and community partners. This initiative brings together public history and digital storytelling to investigate previously neglected histories in Durham and beyond. The project also receives support from Duke Libraries and the Vice Provost’s Office for Interdisciplinary Affairs.
Currently, he is leading a research project on Bennett Place, a North Carolina state historic site, with the goal of telling diverse stories that recognize the site’s long history. Since the project began, associated research projects have explored subjects such as agriculture, environmental history, and monuments and memorialization. This work will continue in Summer 2024 as a History+ initiative.