Bronwen Whitney

Bronwen Whitney is a Professor in the Department of Geography and Environmental Sciences at Northumbria University. She holds an External Examiner position at Queen's University Belfast from September 2024 to August 2028. Her research focuses on paleoecology, climate impacts on ecosystems, and human-environment interactions in tropical regions. She earned a PhD in Geography in 2009. Whitney has led multiple interdisciplinary projects funded by the Arts & Humanities Research Council, Natural Environment Research Council, and British Council, exploring topics like Amazonian fire management, Bolivian wetland dynamics, and Maya archaeology. Her work aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals related to environmental sustainability and education.

Research interests include tropical peatlands, vegetation change, and pre-Columbian land-use practices. Notable projects include the Maya Archaeology and Paleoecology Partnership Project (2021–2023) and studies on ecological baselines in Brazilian savannahs. Recent publications highlight ecohydrological responses to climate variability and cultural-climate interactions in Amazonia.

Whitney’s contributions extend to environmental monitoring and reconstruction, with a focus on Bolivia, Belize, and the Pantanal. She collaborates globally, analyzing phytoliths, pollen, and fire records to reconstruct ancient ecosystems. Her work bridges archaeology, ecology, and climatology, emphasizing long-term environmental resilience.