Deb Chachra is an acclaimed scientist, writer, and educator whose work explores the intersection of infrastructure, equity, and the future of technology. With a Ph.D. from MIT and a faculty position at Olin College of Engineering, she brings a rare blend of technical expertise and human-centered vision to conversations about how the systems that support modern life—water, power, transportation, and digital networks—shape our societies.
Chachra is the author of How Infrastructure Works: Inside the Systems That Shape Our World, which has been widely praised for making the invisible visible and inspiring a new appreciation for the critical role infrastructure plays in both enabling and constraining our collective future. Her writing has appeared in The Atlantic, Wired, The New York Times, and other leading publications, where she addresses themes ranging from engineering education to digital culture.
She is a sought-after speaker at global forums including the Aspen Ideas Festival, SXSW, and MIT Media Lab, where she challenges audiences to think differently about the built world—not just as a technical problem, but as a social one. With clarity and passion, Chachra advocates for a paradigm shift from extractive to regenerative systems, centering care, resilience, and sustainability.
Deb Chachra is a powerful communicator who invites business, policy, and academic audiences to reimagine infrastructure not just as pipes and wires, but as a reflection of our values—and a tool for shaping a better future.
