Dr Thomas Cheney
Space Governance Scholar
Using legal geography and environmental humanities to better understanding space resources, space exploration, space settlement and more!
Dr Thomas Cheney
A Bit About Me
I have long been interested in outer space - massive science fiction fan and interested in everything and anything space - got Apollo 13 out of the library so often my parents eventually bought me a copy! But serious interest was sparked by John Lewis' Mining the Sky in middle school, but my academic interested always gravitated towards the humanities rather than STEM so upon returning to the UK after 10 years in the US I did a degree in history. Fortunately, I discovered space law was a thing and undertook a PhD with Professor Chris Newman. My work today examines those same topics that sparked my interest over 20 years ago but with a more critical eye - trying to reconcile my enthusiasm for a human future in outer space and my understanding of the realities of colonialism, imperialism, and the unfolding climate crises.
Academic Employment
2023 -
University of Northumbria (Newcastle, UK)
Vice Chancellors Research Fellow in Law (Assistant Professor)
School of Law
2019 - 2023
The Open University (Milton Keynes, UK)
Lecturer in Space Governance
AstrobiologyOU & the School of Law
Non-Academic Roles
2023 -
2017 - 2022
2016 - 2020
Breaking Ground Trust
International Diplomacy Seat
Centre for a Spacefaring Civilization
Executive Director
Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC)
Space Law and Policy Project Group Co-lead
Education
2020
University of Northumbria (Newcastle, UK)
PhD – Space Law and Policy Sovereignty and Property Rights in Outer Space: Asteroid Mining, the Outer Space Treaty and National Legislation; defended March 2020, awarded April 2020.
2012
University of Newcastle (Newcastle, UK)
BA History