Valerie M. Thomas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Valerie Margaret Thomas
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| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Cornell University |
| Known for | Physicist, environmental engineer |
| Awards | Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science 2010 Excellence in Review Award, Environmental Science and Technology 2005 |
| Scientific career | |
| Institutions | Princeton University, Research Scientist and Lecturer 1988-2004 Georgia Institute of Technology, Professor 2005 - Present |
Valerie Margaret Thomas (born in 1959) is an American physicist and environmental engineer. She studies how technology affects our environment. Her work looks at things like materials, energy, and how we use energy for travel.
Valerie Thomas is currently a professor at Georgia Institute of Technology, also known as Georgia Tech. She teaches about natural systems and how they connect with engineering and public policy.
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Becoming a Scientist
Valerie Thomas became interested in science because she loved quantum physics. This is a part of physics that studies very tiny particles.
Her College Years
She went to Swarthmore College and studied physics. She also took many math classes. She finished her degree in 1981.
After Swarthmore, she continued her studies at Cornell University. She earned her Ph.D. in 1986. Her research there was about theoretical high energy physics. This field explores the basic forces and particles in the universe.
Her Career in Environmental Science
After getting her Ph.D., Valerie Thomas decided to focus on environmental science.
Early Research Work
She did special research at Carnegie Mellon University. Then, from 1988 to 2004, she worked at Princeton University. She was a research scientist and also taught classes there. She was part of the Princeton Environmental Institute.
Working with Congress
For a year, from 2004 to 2005, she worked as a Congressional Science Fellow. This meant she helped a New Jersey congressman, Rush Holt Jr., with science-related topics.
Teaching at Georgia Tech
In 2005, Valerie Thomas started her current job at Georgia Tech. She continues to teach and do research there.
Awards and Recognition
Valerie Thomas has received several important awards for her work.
American Physical Society Fellow
In 1998, she was named a Fellow of the American Physical Society (APS). This honor recognized her efforts to connect science with ways to manage pollution. It also celebrated her work in building international groups of environmental scientists.
American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellow
She was also chosen as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2000. This is another major recognition for scientists.
