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 scientist. She is a physicist and an environmental engineer. This means she studies how the world works (physics) and how to protect our planet (environmental engineering). Valerie is very interested in environmental technology. This includes things like new materials, energy, and how we use transportation. She is a special professor at Georgia Tech where she teaches about natural systems.
Becoming a Scientist
Valerie Thomas loved quantum physics when she was a student. This made her want to become a scientist. She studied physics at Swarthmore College and also took many math classes. She finished college in 1981.
She then went to Cornell University to get her Ph.D. (a very high degree). She earned it in 1986. Her studies focused on high energy physics. This is a part of physics that looks at the smallest particles and the forces between them. Her main project was about "two-dimensional quantum field theories."
From Physics to the Environment
After getting her Ph.D., Valerie decided to focus on environmental science. She worked at Carnegie Mellon University for a while. Then, from 1988 to 2004, she was a research scientist and teacher at Princeton University. She worked with groups that studied the environment and public policy.
From 2004 to 2005, she worked for a politician named Rush Holt Jr.. This was a special job where scientists help lawmakers understand science. In 2005, she started her current job as a professor at Georgia Tech.
Awards and Recognition
Valerie Thomas has received important awards for her work.
In 1998, she was named a Fellow of the American Physical Society (APS). This is a big honor for physicists. She was recognized for helping connect science about materials and pollution with ways to manage them. She also helped build groups of environmental scientists around the world.
In 2000, she was also chosen as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. This award recognizes scientists who have made important contributions to science.
