William Stewart, PhD

++political geographer++facilitator++worldbuilding++speculations++

My work spans academic research, worldbuilding, facilitation, teaching, public engagement, diplomacy and intelligence analysis. This page provides a brief overview of my experience. More detailed versions are available below for different professional contexts.

Current roles

Visiting Postdoctoral Research Fellow

University College London · 2026–present

Developing publications and a book project on the US space-station gap, commercial space and the political imaginaries surrounding future orbital infrastructure. I am also developing worldbuilding as a structured method for collaborative interdisciplinary research and facilitating workshops for doctoral researchers.

Co-Founder and Director

Speculative Worlds Research Collective · 2022–present Co-founded and lead a 30-person interdisciplinary network across six universities. I direct funded programmes of workshops, exhibitions, symposiums and collaborative projects involving researchers, artists, educators and external partners.

Education

PhD, Human Geography University College London · 2026

MSc, Environment, Politics & Society University College London · 2020

MA, International Relations University of Oklahoma · 2019

MA, Managerial Economics University of Oklahoma · 2019

BA, Political Science Oklahoma State University · 2008

Research CV

Professional CV