Phillip Toms

Phillip Toms is a Research Fellow at the University of Gloucestershire, specializing in Quaternary Science and Luminescence Dating. He leads the Environmental Change theme in Geography & Environmental Science programs, manages the Geography & Bioscience teams, and directs the university’s Luminescence Dating Laboratory. His research focuses on reconstructing past environments to inform climate change studies and human evolution. Phil holds a PhD in Quaternary Science from Royal Holloway, University of London (2002), and has secured £1.5m in research funding. He is a Fellow of both the Royal Geographical Society and the Higher Education Academy.

Teaching Responsibilities include modules on Earth Systems, Ice Age Earth, and Climate Change, alongside leading fieldwork in Switzerland exploring alpine deglaciation. His research integrates luminescence dating with archaeological and geomorphological studies across global sites, including Siberia, Australia, and the UK. Notable contributions include chronologies for Pleistocene human occupation and landscape evolution in Britain and beyond.

• Education: BSc Geography (1996), Royal Holloway; PhD Quaternary Science (2002), Royal Holloway
• Labs/Teams: Luminescence Dating Laboratory, Geography & Bioscience Team
• Funding: £1.5m secured for geoarchaeological projects

Research interests span Quaternary environmental dynamics, archaeological dating methods, and human-environment interactions. Recent work highlights include terminal Pleistocene Aboriginal mobility in Australia and permafrost studies in Siberia.