January 14, 2026 at 6.30pm – 8.00pm
Haymarket House
Revolutionary Engineers: Learning, Politics, and Activism in Pre-1979 Iran
In 1966, the Shah of Iran established Aryamehr University of Technology (AMUT), now known as Sharif University of Technology, as part of a larger campaign to modernize the nation. In 1979, AMUT engineering students played a critical role in the revolution that overthrew the Shah and his regime. In Revolutionary Engineers, Sepehr Vakil, Mahdi Ganjavi, and Mina Khanlarzadeh present the cultural, political, and pedagogical history of AMUT, from its 1966 establishment up to its pivotal role in the 1979 revolution, while delving into the complex interplay of global, national, and Islamic values in STEM education.
"Revolutionary Engineers uncovers the captivating story of Sharif University’s role in Iran’s 1979 revolution, challenging conventional STEM narratives and offering a profound lens on the power of students to shape history."
—Ruha Benjamin, Princeton University, author of Race After Technology
Read more about the book here!
**We strongly encourage all attendees wear masks in the event space during the program for the health and well-being of the speaker and other guests. We will have a reception afterwards with light refreshments and books available for purchase.**
Speakers:
Sepehr Vakil is a scholar, writer, and educator who was born in Iran, grew up in California, and now lives in Evanston, where he is a professor in the School of Education and Social Policy at Northwestern University. At Northwestern, he directs new initiatives at the intersection of ethics and technology, including the Center for Responsible Technology, Policy, and Public Dialogue, and the M.S. in Technology, People, and Policy (MTePP) program. Deeply committed to engaging in public scholarship, Sepehr writes a Substack newsletter exploring ideas about family, technology, and culture, and co-hosts the podcast A Professor and a Comedian Walk Into a Bar (PCWB). A father of five, he has also begun performing stand-up comedy around Chicago as a creative outlet that extends his commitment to public dialogue and bringing people together through humor, storytelling, and community.
Bill Ayers, Distinguished Professor of Education and Senior University Scholar at the University of Illinois at Chicago (retired), has written extensively about social justice and democracy, education and the cultural contexts of schooling, and teaching as an essentially intellectual, ethical, and political enterprise. His books include When Freedom is the Question, Abolition is the Answer, A Kind and Just Parent; Teaching toward Freedom; Fugitive Days: A Memoir; Public Enemy: Confessions of an American Dissident; “You can’t fire the bad ones!” And 18 other Myths about Teachers, Teachers’ Unions, and Public Education; To Teach: The Journey, in Comics; Demand the Impossible!; and Race Course: Against White Supremacy.