Oliver T. Coomes

Oliver T. Coomes is a Professor in the Department of Geography at McGill University, Montreal, Canada. His research focuses on environment and development in tropical regions, particularly in the Peruvian Amazon, examining peasant livelihoods, forest conservation, and adaptation to environmental change. He leads the PARLAP project, studying rural livelihoods and poverty through extensive household surveys and remote sensing. Coomes has held editorial roles in journals like World Development and is affiliated with institutions like the Conference of Latin Americanist Geographers.

Education: BSc (University of Victoria), MA (University of Toronto), PhD (University of Wisconsin-Madison).

Research Interests: Tropical forest dynamics, shifting cultivation, floodplain agriculture, climate change adaptation, and the intersection of environment and economy in resource-dependent communities. His work combines microeconomic analysis with ecological data, emphasizing sustainable development pathways.

Awards: Carl O. Sauer Distinguished Scholarship Award (2010), Runner-up Global Development Network Award (2000).

Advising & Grants: Advised over 20 graduate students and post-doctoral fellows. Collaborates internationally on projects funded by agencies like SSHRC and the National Science Foundation. Research emphasizes participatory methods and policy-relevant insights.

Labs/Teams: Coordinates the PARLAP Project and collaborates with interdisciplinary teams on Amazonian environmental studies. Engaged in global initiatives like the Global Land Project and the International Geographical Union.