Research in the History of technology and the environment  in the Department of History at KIT focuses on historical technology futures, mobility history, and energy and resource history. Political and contemporary history focuses in particular on family history as a resource of contemporary history. In all these areas, theory and method is combined with the analysis of historical case studies broaching everyday life. Another focus is testing out and reflecting upon practice-oriented formats of university teaching in interdisciplinary contexts. Master's theses and doctoral dissertations produced at the department form a central part of this research.

Research results appear as  monographs, anthologies and scientific articles. With the German Mining Museum Bochum, we coedit the conventional publication series "Studies on the History of Technology, Work and the Environment". In addition, we employ other formats directed toward the general public along the lines of "public history", especially in student projects.