Thomas Lekan

Thomas Lekan is a Professor of History and Environmental Studies at the University of South Carolina, holding a joint appointment in the Department of History and the School of the Earth, Ocean, and Environment. He has been a faculty member since 1999 and serves as interim coordinator of the Ann Johnson Institute for Science, Technology, and Society. His research focuses on European environmental history, the environmental humanities, and global conservation challenges, with particular attention to the Serengeti, German imperial legacies, and the Anthropocene. Lekan earned his PhD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1999 and has held fellowships at institutions including Princeton University and the Rachel Carson Center. His work explores the intersections of ecology, politics, and culture, emphasizing postcolonial critiques of conservation narratives and the socio-ecological impacts of environmental policy.

Education: MA (1993, University of Washington), PhD (1999, University of Wisconsin-Madison).

Research interests include wildlife conservation ethics, decolonization and environmental governance, and the role of film and imagery in shaping global environmental discourses. He has authored books like Our Gigantic Zoo: A German Quest to Save the Serengeti (2020) and co-edited volumes such as Germany’s Nature: Cultural Landscapes and Environmental History (2005). Lekan’s recent projects analyze the tensions between climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation, particularly in contested landscapes like the Mojave Desert.

Scientific Awards: Multiple fellowships from the National Endowment for the Humanities, American Council of Learned Societies, and German Historical Institute. He has organized workshops on environmental baselines and participated in collaborative projects like the Rachel Carson Center’s Anthropocene studies initiative.

Grants and Labs: Involved in the Max Planck Institute’s Department III working group on “The Art of Judgment,” focusing on environmental science and policy. His work bridges historical scholarship with contemporary debates on sustainability, emphasizing the need for interdisciplinary approaches to ecological crises.