Ian Thomas Lawson

Ian Thomas Lawson is a Senior Lecturer in physical geography and co-director of the St Andrews Centre for Critical Sustainabilities at the University of St Andrews, School of Geography & Sustainable Development. He specializes in Quaternary science, tropical peatlands, and environmental change. His research integrates fieldwork across multiple countries (e.g., Greece, Faroe Islands, Peru) and focuses on socio-ecological sustainability, policy impact, and long-term environmental dynamics.

Teaching includes modules like 'Welcome to the Anthropocene' and 'Biogeography and the Earth System,' emphasizing field/lab methods and data analysis. Active in interdisciplinary projects, he leads initiatives on tropical peatland conservation and carbon cycle studies, supported by grants from organizations like the Global Centre on Biodiversity for Climate.

Recent publications address tephrochronology in Scottish bogs, Amazonian peatland recovery, and Mediterranean vegetation responses to climate change. He collaborates internationally, contributing to datasets on peat depths, ecosystem productivity, and carbon stocks. Media engagements include contributions to peatland conservation awareness campaigns.