Making a Public Historian with Becky Oakes

Public History with Jake and Justin

In our newest episode in the "Making a Public Historian" series, we chat with Becky Oakes, a historian with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

In this role, Becky seeks to inspire innovation by telling the stories of past and present inventors, entrepreneurs, and trailblazers, as well as maintaining a robust repository of institutional history.

Becky previously served as the USPTO’s social media specialist. Prior to the USPTO, Becky worked for the National Park Service in the field of historic interpretation. She holds a B.A. in History from Gettysburg College and an M.A. in Public History and 19th Century U.S. History from West Virginia University, and specializes in the long Civil War era.

In this episode we discuss:

The West Virginia University public history mafia

Mentorship and teams in the National Park Service

Bringing historical thinking to a government agency

Diverse stories and what resonates with the public and the media

Becky's favorite invention and inventor from the USPTO

Follow USPTO on social media and explore their History page

And our Postscripts this week:

Justin - Hiking the Appalachian Trail at Gathland State Park

Becky - Aurora Borealis and shared community moments

Jake - Walking the C&O Canal Towpath and exploring Brunswick, MD