The Unlocking History Team

Unlocking History is the name for our group of conservators, paleographers, literary scholars, historians, publishers, book-artists, imaging experts, engineers, and scientists who are interested in the historical practice of letterlocking. We want to make sure letters are conserved properly so that they can be studied for the verifiable secrets they reveal. The material features of letters can speak to us about the past, but in order to hear them we have to learn their language.

**Jana Dambrogio |** **Orcid Bibliography**
**Years active: 2000–present**
Thomas F. Peterson (1957) Conservator, Wunsch Conservation Laboratory, MIT Libraries. Director and Founder of Unlocking History Research Group, General Editor of Letterlocking.org and Dictionary of Letterlocking (DoLL), and the Co-author of *Letterlocking: The Hidden History of the Letter.*

UH Team

**Dr Daniel Starza Smith |** **Orcid Bibliography**
**Years active: 2013–2025**
Senior Lecturer in Early Modern English Literature (1500-1700), Department of English, King's College London, UK. Co-author of *Letterlocking: The Hidden History of the Letter and* co-founder of Unlocking History Research Group.

**Dr Athanasios Velios |** **Orcid Bibliography**
**Years active: 2017–Present**
linked data Consultant for the Dictionary of Letterlocking. Reader in Documentation, University of the Arts London

**Linda Evans and Walter Evans, MD**
**Years active: 2021–present**

Teresa Leone. Copy editor of the Dictionary of Letterlocking. Ohio — **Teresa Leone**
**Years active: 2015–Present**
Copy editor of the Dictionary of Letterlocking. Ohio

Laura BergemannGraduate Student, New York University, Institute of Fine Arts, New York — **Laura Bergemann |** **Orcid bibliography**
**Years active: 2017–2021; 2024–Present**
Graduate Student, New York University, Institute of Fine Arts, New York

Jennifer Pellecchia COPY EDITOR. Massachusetts — **Jennifer Pellecchia |** **Orcid bibliography**
**Years active: 2020–Present**
COPY EDITOR. Massachusetts

Amanda GhassaeiAlgorithm Engineer Lead, California — **Amanda Ghassaei** | **ORCID Bibliography**
**Years active: 2017–2021**
Algorithm Engineer Lead, California

Holly JacksonAlgorithm Engineer, MIT Class of 2022. NASA Ames Research Center, Coded Structures Lab — **Holly Jackson** | **Orcid Bib**
**Years active: 2015–2021**
Algorithm Engineer, MIT Class of 2022. NASA Ames Research Center, Coded Structures Lab

Martin DemaineAngelika and Barton Weller Artist-in-Residence in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Technical Instructor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Glass Lab, MIT — **Martin Demaine**
**Years active: 2014–2021**
Angelika and Barton Weller Artist-in-Residence in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Technical Instructor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Glass Lab, MIT

Prof. Erik DemaineComputer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, MIT — **Prof.** **Erik Demaine** | **orcid bibliography**
**Years active: 2015–2021**
Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, MIT

Dr Graham DavisQueen Mary, University of London, Institute of Dentistry — **Prof. Graham Davis |** **orcid bibliography**
**Years active: 2015–2021**
Queen Mary, University of London, Institute of Dentistry

Dr David MillsQueen Mary, University of London, Institute of Dentistry — **Dr David Mills |** **Orcid bibliography**
**Years active: 2015–2021**
Queen Mary, University of London, Institute of Dentistry

Sheree Watson, MD. Copy editor. and Researcher, New York — **Sheree Watson, MD.**
**Years active: 2019–2024**
Copy editor. and Researcher, New York

Tracy Chang, PAGUChef, Owner, Chief of Pugs. Massachusetts — **Tracy Chang, PAGU**
**Years active: 2015–2025**
Chef, Owner, Chief of Pugs. Massachusetts

Dr Nadine AkkermanAssociate Professor in early modern English Literature, Leiden University — **Prof. Nadine Akkerman |** **Orcid bibliography**
**Years active: 2015–2021**
Professor in early modern English Literature, Leiden University

Mike TarkanianSenior Lecturer, Department of Material Science and Engineering, MIT — **Mike Tarkanian**
**Years active: 2015–Present**
Senior Lecturer & Associate Director, Department of Material Science and Engineering, MIT

**Yasmeen Alfaqeeh**. LeAd Illustrator and Designer. California
**Years active: 20122–2023**

**Dorian Aguilar** Copy Editor. California
**Years active: 2022–2023**

Dr Ruben Verwaal-van der Linden2019 NWO Rubicon postdoctoral fellow, Durham University — **Dr Ruben Verwaal |** **orcid bibliography**
**Years active: 2017–2021**
Curator, Erasmus University Medical Centre

Dr David Verwaal-van der LindenAssistant Professor in Early Modern History at Radboud University, Nijmegen — **Dr David van der Linden |** **orcid bibliography**
**Years active: 2015–2021**
Assistant Professor in Early Modern History at University of Groningen

DR Rebekah ahrendtAssociate Professor, Department of Media and Cultural Studies, Utrecht University — **Dr Rebekah Ahrendt** | **orcid bibliography**
**Years active: 2015–2021**
Associate Professor, Department of Media and Cultural Studies, Utrecht University

Dennis FlynnEditor — Dennis Flynn
**Years active: 2015–2021**
Editor

Nicole Araya Lead Illustrator and Designer, California — **Nicole Araya**
**Years active: 2020–2022**
Lead Illustrator and Designer, California

Kate ScottMIT Class of 2018. Department of Material Science and Engineering, MIT — **Katheryn** **Scott**
**Years active: 2016–2017; 2025–**
MIT Class of 2018. Department of Material Science and Engineering, MIT

Carla Shroer, Cultural Heritage ImagingFounder and Director. California — **Carla Shroer**
**Years active: 2015–2019**
Founder and Director. California, **Cultural Heritage Imaging**

Prof. Neil GershenfeldDirector, The Center for Bits and Atoms — **Prof. Neil Gershenfeld**
**Years active: 2015–2021**
Director, The Center for Bits and Atoms

Emily CohenRare Book and Manuscript Conservator, Associate Editor of Dictionary of Letterlocking (DoLL), 2016–2018. Massachusetts. — **Emily Cohen** | **Orcid bibliography**
**Years active: 2017–2019**
Rare Book and Manuscript Conservator, Team member and Research Assistant 2016–2018.
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Ayako LetiziaRare Book and Manuscript Conservator and Conservation Associate, Wunsch Conservation Laboratory, MIT Libraries, Associate Editor of the Dictionary of Letterlocking (DoLL). — **Ayako Letizia |** **Orcid ID**
**Years active: 2014–2021**
2016–2020 Rare Book and Manuscript Conservator, Team member and Research Assistant.

Brien BeidlerBookBinder. Associate Editor of Dictionary of Letterlocking (DoLL), 2016–2018. Indiana — **Brien Beidler** | **Orcid Id**
**Years active: 2014–2017**
BookBinder. Team member and Research Assistant 2016–2018.

Mary UthuppuruArtist, SpringLeaf Press. Associate Editor of Dictionary of Letterlocking (DoLL), 2016–2017. indiana — **Mary Uthuppuru** | **Orcid ID**
**Years active: 2014–2017**
Artist, SpringLeaf Press. Team member and Research Assistant 2016–2018.

Annie DunnWeb designer, 2016–2018. MIT Class of 2017. Department of Material Science and Engineering, MIT. Massachusetts — **Annie Dunn**
**Years active: 2016–2018**
Web designer, 2016–2018. MIT Class of 2017. Department of Material Science and Engineering, MIT. Massachusetts

Jordi RochaSocial Media Outreach Lead and Research Assistant, Finland — **Jordi Rocha**
**Years active: 2019–2021**
2020–2021 Social Media Outreach Lead and Research Assistant, Finland

Rufeida alhatimy 2020 King’s Undergraduate research fellow (KURF), King’s College London, UK — **Rufeida alhatimy**
**Years active: 2018**
2020 King’s Undergraduate research fellow (KURF), King’s College London, UK

Camille DekeyserRare Book and Manuscript Conservator. England — **Camille Dekeyser**
**Years active: 2016**
Rare Book and Manuscript Conservator. England

Tomas Brown2018 King's Undergraduate Research Fellow (KURF), King's College London, UK — **Tomas Brown**
**Years active: 2018**
2018 King's Undergraduate Research Fellow (KURF), King's College London, UK

simon Kim2018 Wunsch Conservation Lab Student Worker, MIT — **simon Kim**
**Years active: 2018**
2018 Wunsch Conservation Lab Student Worker, MIT

Caitlin Jenkins2017 King's Undergraduate Research Fellow (KURF), King's College London, UK — **Caitlin Jenkins**
**Years active: 2016**
2017 King's Undergraduate Research Fellow (KURF), King's College London, UK

Koos Havelaar(retired), Curator for Postal History. Beeld en Geluid Den Haag — **Koos Havelaar**
**Years active: 2015–2021**
(retired), Curator for Postal History. Beeld en Geluid Den Haag

Michael Christiansen, PH.DGraduate Student, 2017, Department of Material Science and Engineering, MIT — **Michael Christiansen, PH.D**
**Years active: 2017**
Graduate Student, 2017, Department of Material Science and Engineering, MIT

Zimin Cheng2017 King's Undergraduate Research Fellow (KURF), King's College London, UK — **Zimin Cheng**
**Years active: 2021**
2017 King's Undergraduate Research Fellow (KURF), King's College London, UK

Lucy Brown2014–2018 Wunsch Conservation Lab Student Worker, MIT — **Lucy Brown**
**Years active: 2020–2021**
2014–2018 Wunsch Conservation Lab Student Worker, MIT

Udit Mahalingam2021 King's Undergraduate Research Fellow (KURF), King's College London, UK — **Udit Mahalingam**
**Years active: 2021**
2021 King's Undergraduate Research Fellow (KURF), King's College London, UK

Millie Sidebottom2021 King's Undergraduate Research Fellow (KURF), King's College London, UK — **Millie Sidebottom**
**Years active: 2021**
2021 King's Undergraduate Research Fellow (KURF), King's College London, UK

Alison Wiggins, PhD, Years active: 2021

Amanda Gittens, Years active: 2023–2024

Andrea Clarke, Years active: 2021

Ariana Rutledge, Years active: 2024

Brian Chan, Years active: 2014

Caroline Chea, Years active: 2024

Dagmar Freist, Years active: 2017–2019

Diana Henderson, Years active: 2016–2018

Emilie Hardman, Years active: 2018–2021

Heidi Kyle, Years active: 2023

Jacky Martin, Years active: 2018

Jessica Spring, Years active: 2021

Jonas Kantola, Years active: 2022

Justyna Wubs-Mrozewicz, Years active: 2022

Kate Cherian, Years active: 2016

Leslie Morris, Years active: 2024

Linnea Vegh, Years active: 2018

Lorraine Bigrigg, Years active: 2022

Lucas Haasis | Orcid Bibliography | Years active: 2017–2025

Marc Hammonds, Years active: 2018

Mark Mudge, Years active: 2015–2019

Marlin Lum, Years active: 2015

Matthew Li, Years active: 2017–2018

Nicholas Sikellis, Years active: 2023

Patricia Merrikin, Years active: 2022

Stephen Skuce, Years active: 2016–2017

Ulla Warchol, Years active: 2023

Vincent Thuet, Years active: 2016

Our team of letterlockers

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Our Partners

Early Modern Letters Online (EMLO)

Cultures of Knowledge, a collaboration between the Bodleian Library and the Humanities Division of the University of Oxford. EMLO is the first online platform to adopt our letterlocking format and category assignments for letters found in the Brienne Collection catalogue.

Team

The Unlocking History Team

UH Team

Our team of letterlockers

Our Partners

Early Modern Letters Online (EMLO)

The Feathers Project

The Prize Papers

Message in a Bottle Research Team

Ward 16 Project

About

Learn

Catalog of UH #s

DoLL

Brienne

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