Yannik Herbert

My research interests center around the history of navigation and transportation networks, using digital representations of 17th, 18th, and 19th century public transport systems to build a detailed picture of mobility in Early Modern Britain.

I approach history from a digital humanities angle, and I have a strong interest in how complex algorithms can yield historical insights from quantitative data. As part of my research, I build interactive digital ways to interact with history, and demonstrate my work with interactive maps and rich geographical representations of my data.

Research Topic

The emergence of public transportation systems and their cultural influence on Early Modern Britain

My thesis examines the history of inland navigation and the emergence of public systems of transportation, looking at the development of roads, rails, vehicles, logistics, schedules, timekeeping, communication, and signalling. I trace the disparate threads of technological and organisational progress which eventually coalesced into vast national networks of connectivity.

Supervisors: Dr Christopher McKenna and Dr Stephen Johnston