Christopher W Sims

Christopher W Sims serves as Associate Professor of the Practice in Duke University's Sanford School of Public Policy and Associate Professor of the Practice of Art, Art History and Visual Studies within Trinity College of Arts & Sciences. He also directs Duke's Center for Documentary Studies, a position he assumed in 2024.

• M.F.A. in Studio Art, Maryland Institute College of Art (2008)
• Master's in Visual Communication, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• B.A. in History, Duke University

Sims' research explores the intersection of documentary practice, cultural memory, and geopolitical representation. His work critically examines military training simulations, transnational cultural exchanges, and climate resilience through visual documentation. As director of the Center for Documentary Studies, he leads initiatives examining social justice narratives across multiple continents.

His recent publications and exhibitions reveal a consistent focus on visualizing power structures, particularly in his acclaimed work on U.S. military training villages that replicate Middle Eastern environments. This research connects military anthropology with contemporary visual culture, demonstrating how simulated environments shape real-world military operations and cultural perceptions.

• Callanan Excellence in Teaching Award Nominee (2022)
• Center Emerging Photographer Award (2021)
• Top 5% Instructor Teaching Excellence Award (2019)
• Baum Award for Emerging American Photographer (2010)
• "100 Under 100: Superstar of Southern Art" (Oxford American, 2012)

Sims directs the Center for Documentary Studies' anti-racism initiatives and leads multiple federally funded research projects examining German cultural expressions in Brazil, climate resilience in Germany, and dialogues about war experiences. His work with the E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation and Guantánamo Public Memory Project demonstrates his commitment to socially engaged scholarship that bridges academic research and public understanding.

As director of Duke's Center for Documentary Studies, Sims oversees programs that train students in ethical visual storytelling while managing international partnerships with institutions in Germany, Brazil, and India. His leadership in the Anti-Racism Instructor Preparatory Academy has reshaped documentary pedagogy across multiple disciplines.