Dr. Sunil Amrith

Professor

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Biography

Sunil Amrith is the Renu Anand Dhawan Professor of History at Yale University and has a secondary appointment as a Professor at the Yale School of the Environment. He is the Henry R. Luce Director of the Whitney and Betty MacMillan Center for International and Area Studies, which serves as Yale’s hub for international research. In his role as Vice Provost for International Affairs, Amrith advises university leadership on global matters, including the oversight of various international offices and programs. His research focuses on the movements of people and ecological processes related to South and Southeast Asia and encompasses aspects of global environmental history. He has published extensively in fields such as environmental history, migration history, and public health history. Amrith has received numerous awards, including the 2025 Toynbee Prize in Global History and the 2024 Fukuoka Academic Prize. His latest book, 'Burning Earth', explores the environmental history of the modern world and has been recognized by prominent media outlets as essential reading. He has also authored titles like 'Unruly Waters' and 'Crossing Bay Bengal' and serves on editorial and advisory boards for academic journals and book series. He welcomes inquiries from prospective graduate students interested in modern South and Southeast Asian history and global environmental history.

Research Interests

Experience

Professor

2015-01-01 — Present

Yale University • New Haven, CT

Teaching and researching history with a focus on migration and environmental change.

Awards

#2025

Toynbee Prize in Global History

2025-01-01
#2024

Fukuoka Academic Prize

2024-01-01
#2022

Dr. A.H. Heineken Prize for History

2022-01-01
#2017

MacArthur Fellowship

2017-01-01
#2019

Cundill Prize Shortlist

2019-01-01

Requirements for Yale University

Doctorate Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3.5
GRE General
TOEFL
Listening
Required:25
Speaking
Required:26
Total
Required:100
IELTS
Speaking
Required:7.5
Overall
Required:7
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, Computer Science, or Mathematics
Application Checklist
  • Statement of academic purpose
  • Unofficial transcripts
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Application fee ($105)
  • Resume/CV
Specialization Notes

Administered via the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS). GRE General is optional for PhD.