Michelle Jackson-Beckett is Curator of Drawings & Archives at Columbia University's Avery Architectural & Fine Arts Library. Her research focuses on modern Central European and US cultural history, with a specialisation in the built environment and design archives. She holds a PhD in Design History from Bard Graduate Center, an MA in Design History from the Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum, and a BA in German Language & Literature from Saint Joseph's University. She has lectured widely on design and architectural history, and previously held positions at the University of Applied Arts Vienna, Parsons School of Design, and the Rhode Island School of Design.