Richard Thompson (marine biologist) facts for kids

Richard Charles Thompson is a marine biologist. He studies marine litter, especially tiny pieces of plastic. He works at the University of Plymouth in the United Kingdom.

Professor Thompson is famous for creating the word "microplastics" in 2004. These are very small plastic bits that pollute our oceans. In 2025, Time magazine named him one of the world's 100 most influential people.

Learning and Degrees

Richard Thompson went to two universities. He studied at University of Newcastle. Later, he earned his Ph.D. degree in 1996 from the University of Liverpool.

Work and Discoveries

In 2004, Professor Thompson published an important paper. It was called Lost at Sea: Where is All the Plastic? This paper appeared in the science journal Science. It was the first time the word "microplastics" was used. Since then, this word has become very common.

Since 2010, he has been a professor of Marine Biology. He works at the University of Plymouth. He also leads a special group there. This group is called the International Marine Litter Research Unit. They study how plastic affects the ocean.

Professor Thompson helps lead a group called The Scientists' Coalition for an Effective Plastics Treaty. This group works to create global rules about plastic pollution. In September 2024, he led another study. It was also published in Science. This study said that after 20 years of research, we have enough proof. It showed that the world needs to act together to stop microplastic pollution.

Important Papers and Books

Professor Thompson has written many important papers and books. Here are a few:

• In 2006, he wrote a chapter called "Plastics" in a book.
• He helped write a report in 2010 about marine litter. It was for the European Union.
• In 2011, he was the main author of a document. It was about marine debris as a global problem. It also suggested ways to solve it.
• He was also the main author of a 2012 report. This report looked at how marine debris harms different living things in the ocean.
• In 2013, he wrote about plastics, the environment, and health. This was for a book called Accumulation: The Material Politics of Plastics.

Awards and Special Recognitions

Richard Thompson has received many awards for his work:

• 2016: He won the Marsh Award for Marine and Freshwater Conservation. This award is for people who help protect ocean and river life.
• 2018: He was given the Order of the British Empire (OBE). This is a special honor from the United Kingdom. He received it for his work in marine science.
• 2020: He became a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS). This is a very respected group of scientists.
• 2022: He received the Volvo Environment Prize.
• 2023: He was awarded the Blue Planet Prize.
• 2024: Time magazine included him in their list of influential people in health.

In 2016, a politician named Mary Creagh called Professor Thompson "The Godfather of Microplastics." She said this during a public meeting about plastic pollution. Many news groups around the world have used this nickname for him since then.