Tom Dickins is professor of behavioural science at Middlesex University. His background is in psychological sciences (BSc; CNAA), history and philosophy of science (MSc; London), evolutionary psychology (PhD; Sheffield); and, ecological survey techniques (PG Cert.; Oxon). His research interests fall within behavioural biology and theoretical concerns within evolutionary biology.
Tom teaches across the departments of psychology and natural sciences, predominantly focusing upon evolutionary psychology, ethology and behavioural ecology. He also runs a short course on Science in Context for postgraduate research students across all faculties.
With colleagues in natural sciences, Tom runs a two week residential field trip on Lundy island. For more details about this please visit Tom's website at this link and have a look at the Lundy pages.
Tom is interested in the application of evolutionary biology to the behavioural sciences. He is concerned with the theoretical detail of the application of evolutionary biology, the emergence of stable adapted and adaptive behavioural strategies and also the internal mechanisms that produce such behaviours.
In November 2021 he published a monograph entitled The Modern Synthesis: Evolution and the Organization of Information. This is volume IV in the series Evolutionary Biology - New Perspectives on Its Development, published by Springer. This was followed in March 2023 by a co-edited volume Evolutionary Biology: Contemporary and historical reflections upon core theory. This is number VI in the same series
Since 2015, Tom and his research students have been collecting behavioural, clutch size and productivity data for a number of Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) colonies in the south of the United Kingdom. This is a long-term project designed to yield fruit after sufficient breeding seasons but some preliminary findings have been published.
Most recently Tom is working on issues to do with causal accounts in evolutionary biology and the social sciences, and the relationship between developmental systems theory and ethology.
Please follow this link to view Tom's publications.
View more publications€534,642 EU LIFE+ Environmental Policy and Governance Funding Stream Coordinating Beneficiary: London Community Resource Network Associated Beneficiaries: Groundwork London and Middlesex University (Tom Dickins)
Project: REPURPOSE - equipping community groups in estates to reuse more, clear fly tipping and improve their local environment.
Duration: 2014-2017
