Thomas Simpson

Dr. Thomas Simpson is an Associate Professor of Environmental History at the University of Warwick's Faculty of Arts, Department of History. He serves as Director of First-Year Studies and Impact Director. His research bridges environmental history, history of science, and imperial/colonial studies, with a focus on British India's frontiers, mountainous regions, and cartographic practices. Simpson holds a PhD in History from the University of Cambridge (2015), preceded by an MSc (2010) and BA (2009) in International History from the London School of Economics.

Research interests include climate science historiography, imperial knowledge systems, and the Anthropocene. He co-leads the 'Making Climate History' project, contributing to Making Global Temperature, and directs Maps that made climate change, exploring climatic cartography. He co-convenes the Warwick Map History Research Group and London's Planetary Histories seminar.

Teaching spans global environmental history, empire studies, and historiography, with courses like 'Imperial Natures' and 'Political History of the Contemporary World'. He supervises four PhD students researching topics including environmental frontiers and colonial anthropology. Recent publications analyze climate science imperialism, riverine exploration, and frontier geopolitics.

Professional service includes editorial roles and book reviews for journals like Times Literary Supplement. His work emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches to understanding environmental and colonial histories, particularly in South and Southeast Asia.