Dr. Jessica Thorn

Biography

Jessica Thorn is an Assistant Professor at Imperial College London, where she co-convenes the Environmental Resource Management module for the MSc in Environmental Technology and leads research on Food, Diet, and Land. She is a fellow of the African Research Initiative Scientific Excellence program at the University of Namibia’s Department of Environmental Sciences. Jessica's work focuses on climate change adaptation, green infrastructure, and transitions within social-ecological systems, particularly in peri-urban and smallholder mountain contexts. Her research spans individual households to national comparative surveys and global systematic reviews, assessing biodiversity and ecosystem services, participatory scenario planning, and probabilistic land use change modeling to address various environmental challenges. With nearly two decades of experience working on projects funded by organizations such as GCRF, NSF, EU, and USAID, Jessica has traveled through 70 countries collaborating with world-leading research teams primarily in Africa. She has taught at multiple prestigious universities and has received numerous awards and grants throughout her career. Her research has influenced policy development in several international organizations, highlighting her effective communication skills across diverse media. Currently, she leads the Africa Nature Futures lab, supervising multiple students and researchers engaged in various climate-related studies.

Research Interests

Experience