How might we leverage analysis of the past to build more sustainable materials futures? With a focus on interfaces across scale, from active surfaces to technological landscape, this presentation contributes integrated methods and conceptual frameworks for working across history and materials with application to historically-grounded future-facing materials inquiry and design. Selected case studies demonstrate this approach, including prototypes for public health in industrial cities, agricultural waste to new materials between the world wars and connections to contemporary green plastics, unintended health and environmental consequences of design for longevity in transportation infrastructure. 

The Earl Peters Seminar