A former Camborne School pupil is a new history lecturer on the University of Exeter's Tremough campus in Penryn. Dr Tim Cooper joins six other historians on the University of Exeter's staff based in Cornwall. 60 new students are beginning their studies in history or politics this term.

Dr Tim Cooper grew up in Camborne before studying at both Oxford and Cambridge. He specialises in environmental history, and is researching recycling and waste disposal. He sees the Cornish environment as having an important input to his research, particularly the effects of the growth and decline of tin mining on local environmental perceptions.

He is joined by Dr Richard Noakes, who is a historian of science and is currently writing a book on Victorian and Edwardian cultures of science. Another new starter, Dr Kristofer Allerfeldt was a farmer for 20 years in Devon. He now teaches courses on nationalism and US history. Dr Anne Murphy is a financial historian and former city trader.

International links have been boosted with the appointment of Professor Ilan Pappé from Israel, who will be teaching both history and politics students on the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict. Dr Anna Green comes to Cornwall from New Zealand where she has led a wide range of oral history projects in community history and labour history.

Professor Alan Booth, Head of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Exeter's Cornwall campus says: "Studying history is enduringly popular, and my new team's expertise shows how broad the subject can be. Our courses and research blur the boundaries between history and politics, and students will be at the forefront of academic debate. We are also looking forward to engaging with the local community through public lectures."

A series of free public lectures begins on October 15, covering historical topics that have shaped the contemporary world.