Thomas Leslie

My lectures explain complex building and structural concepts to lay audiences using historic images, digital reconstructions, and explanatory diagrams. Audiences come away from these with a better understanding of buildings they may see every day, and a richer appreciation for how these structures work together to create cities. By telling the stories of these structures' designers, builders, and laborers, I'm able to connect to much broader narratives about urban history, finance, and politics. These lectures are informative — and entertaining. I've been able to talk about skyscrapers and other engineering feats to audiences ranging from specialists to social clubs. Reviews and feedback consistently talk about how engaging the material is, and how these presentations make technical subject matter legible and understandable.