Tom Oliver

“A brilliant teacher, a great communicator……….every single word this man says is impactful, important and educational”  – Russell Brand

Tom Oliver is a Professor in Ecology and Research Dean for Environment at the University of Reading.  He regularly advises the UK government and the European Environment Agency on environmental topics. Tom is a frequent contributor to broadcast media, including BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Channel 4 and ITV News, and the mainstream press  such as the New York Times, Washington Post, Hindu Times, New Scientist, Guardian, The Times, Independent and Telegraph.  In addition he regularly gives talks on environmental science to general audiences.

Tom has published more than 100 scientific papers in world-leading interdisciplinary journals and won two first-place prizes for essays communicating science to a broader audience. He won the Marsh Award for Entomology in 2014 for outstanding contributions to Entomology. He currently lives in Wallingford, UK with his wife and two children. His first book The Self Delusion was published in January 2020.

For contact details and more information about Tom’s research see here

Tom has just recently completed a 2.5 year secondment to UK government (Defra) to lead the design of their new Systems Research Programme and he is currently seconded with the Government Office for Science and Technology

“High quality science is central to everything this department does, as our recent investment in a Systems Research Programme reinforces.” Tamara Finkelstein, Permanent Secretary at Defra. Tom’s Invited article for Cabinet Office systems thinking team here

Selected popular articles:

• Could teaching about the environment actually be at odds with protecting nature?  ACU Review, Jan 2022
• Biodiversity- world leaders are negotiating new targets to protect nature by 2030- the story so far, The Conversation Oct, 2021
• The human virome: the trillions of viruses in your body keeping you alive BBC Science Focus, Feb 2021
• Nature: how do you put a price on something that has infinite worth?  The Conversation, Jan 2021
• Is racism in our DNA? The Independent April 2020
• The illusion of individualism helped us succeed as a species – but now the scales are tipping BBC Science Focus Mar 2020
• The age of the individual must end – our world depends on it The Guardian Jan 2020
• Climate crisis: we are not individuals fighting a faceless system – we are the system that needs to change   The Conversation Jan 2020
• To fight climate change, science must be mobilised like it was in World War II, The Conversation Oct 2019
• Tipping point: huge wildlife loss threatens the life support of our small planet The Conversation  Nov 2019

Interview on BBC World Service on global policy progress in tackling biodiversity loss and climate change. Listen here

Euronews interview on interlinked environmental, economic and health crises:

Channel 4 News interview on global biodiversity loss:

BBC News interview on UK drought impacts on ecosystems