Thomas W Swetnam

Thomas W Swetnam is a Regents' Professor at the University of Arizona's School of Natural Resources and the Environment. His research focuses on dendrochronology, fire ecology, and climate science, with a particular emphasis on historical fire regimes and their interactions with human activity and environmental change. He holds a Ph.D. in Watershed Management from the University of Arizona (1983) and has contributed to foundational studies on fire history in the American Southwest and global fire-climate relationships.

Swetnam's work integrates tree-ring analysis, fire-scar networks, and climate modeling to understand long-term ecological patterns. Key areas include reconstructing historical fire regimes, analyzing the impacts of climate variability on forest ecosystems, and evaluating the role of Indigenous fire management practices. His research has highlighted the profound influence of human activity on fire regimes, particularly in the context of modern climate change.

Recent studies emphasize the increasing risk of severe wildfires due to rising temperatures and altered precipitation patterns. Swetnam has also investigated the historical role of Indigenous land use in maintaining fire-resilient landscapes, challenging earlier narratives of pre-colonial fire regimes. His collaborative projects, such as the North American tree-ring fire-scar network, provide critical data for climate and fire models.

Swetnam has received numerous accolades, including the AAAS Fellow designation and the Harold Biswell Lifetime Achievement Award. His work bridges ecology, climatology, and anthropology, offering insights into sustainable forest management and climate adaptation strategies.