Richard Thompson (marine biologist) explained

Richard Thompson
Birth Name:	Richard C. Thompson
Fields:	Marine biology Microplastics
Workplaces:	University of Plymouth
Alma Mater:	University of Newcastle (BSc) University of Liverpool (PhD)
Thesis Title:	The Ecology of Epilithic Microalgae
Thesis Url:	https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.320574
Thesis Year:	1996
Doctoral Advisors:	)-->
Awards:	Volvo Environment Prize (2022)^[1]
Spouses:	)-->
Partners:	)-->

Richard Charles Thompson is a marine biologist who researches marine litter. At the University of Plymouth he is director of the Marine Institute; professor of Marine Biology; and leads the International Marine Litter Research Unit. Thompson coined the term "microplastics" in 2004.^{[2] [3]}

Education

Thompson was educated at University of Newcastle and the University of Liverpool, where he was awarded a Ph.D in 1996.

Career and research

Thompson's paper, Lost at Sea: Where is All the Plastic?,^[4] published in the journal Science in 2004, was the first to use the term microplastics, which has since become common parlance.^{[5] [6] [7]}

Since 2010 he has been professor of Marine Biology at the University of Plymouth. Since 2018 he has also been director of the Marine Institute, part of the School of Biological and Marine Sciences at the University.^[8] He also leads the University's International Marine Litter Research Unit.^[9] He is a coordinator of The Scientists' Coalition for an Effective Plastics Treaty.^[10]

Publications

• Thompson, Richard. (2006). Plastics. In: Dominant Wave Theory. By Andrew Hughes. Pp. 112–116. London: Booth-Clibborn, 2006. . New York: Abrams, 2007. .
• "Marine Strategy Framework Directive: TaskGroup 10 Report: Marine Litter." Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2010. Galgani, F., Fleet, D., van Franeker, J., Katsanevakis, S., Maes, T., Mouat, J.Oosterbaan, L., Poitou, I., Hanke, G., Thompson, R., Amato, E., Birkun A., and Janssen, C. .
• Marine Debris as a Global Environmental Problem: Introducing a solutions based framework focused on plastic: A STAP Information Document: November 2011. Washington, DC: Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel, Global Environment Facility, 2011. Richard C. Thompson, Bruce E. La Belle, Hindrik Bouwman, and Lev Neretin. Thompson was lead author.
• Impacts of Marine Debris on Biodiversity: Current status and Potential Solutions. CBD Technical Series No. 67. Montreal: Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity; Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel—GEF, 2012. . Thompson was lead author.
• Readman, J.W., DeLuna, F. Ebinhaus, R., Guzman, A.N., Price A.R.G., Readman, E.E. Sheppard, A.L.S., Sleight, A.S. Strum, R. Thompson, R.C. Tonkin, A.Wolschke, H., Wright, R., and Sheppard, R.C. (2013) Coral Reefs of the World.
• Thompson, R.C. (2013) Plastics, Environment and Health. In: Accumulation: The Material Politics of Plastics. Edited by Gabrys, J., Hawkins, G. and Michael, M. Hardback: Routledge, 2013. . Paperback: Routledge, 2017. . Pp. 150–169.

Awards and honours

• 2016: Marsh Award for Marine and Freshwater Conservation from the Zoological Society of London and Marsh Christian Trust^{[11] [12] [13]}
• 2018: Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2018 New Year Honours for services to marine science^[14]
• 2020: Elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) ^[15]
• Volvo Environment Prize (2022)^[16]
• Blue Planet Prize (2023)^[17]

Notes and References

1. Web site: 2022 .
2. News: Stephen. Buranyi. 2020-01-02. The missing 99%: why can't we find the vast majority of ocean plastic?. The Guardian. 31 December 2019. 0261-3077. www.theguardian.com.
3. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000674n "Plastic pollution with Richard Thompson"
4. Lost at Sea: Where is All the Plastic? . 10.1126/science.1094559. 2004 . Thompson . Richard C. . Olsen . Ylva . Mitchell . Richard P. . Davis . Anthony . Rowland . Steven J. . John . Anthony W. G. . McGonigle . Daniel . Russell . Andrea E. . Science . 304 . 5672 . 838 . 15131299 . 3269482 .
5. Web site: Andrea. Thompson. 2020-01-02. Earth Has a Hidden Plastic Problem—Scientists Are Hunting It Down. Scientific American.
6. Web site: 2020-01-02. To Save the Oceans, Should You Give Up Glitter?. https://web.archive.org/web/20190925011337/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2017/11/glitter-plastics-ocean-pollution-environment-spd/. dead. September 25, 2019. 30 November 2017. National Geographic News.
7. Web site: 2020-01-02. Microplastic waste: This massive (tiny) threat to sea life is now in every ocean. 13 July 2014. The Independent.
8. Web site: 2020-01-02. Professor Richard Thompson OBE – University of Plymouth. www.plymouth.ac.uk.
9. Web site: University of Plymouth Drake Circus Plymouth Devon PL4 8AA United Kingdom [phone]. Maps. directions Visit us Job. vacancies. 2020-01-02. International Marine Litter Research Unit team. University of Plymouth.
10. Web site: Scientist About Us . 2024-07-24 . Ikhapp . en.
11. Web site: 2020-01-02. World leader in microplastic research receives award from the Zoological Society of London. University of Plymouth.
12. Web site: 2020-01-02. Marsh Christian Trust – Marsh Award for Marine and Freshwater Conservation. www.marshchristiantrust.org.
13. Web site: 2020-01-02. Prestigious awards honour the stars of conservation science. British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
14. Web site: 2020-01-02. Professor Richard Thompson made an OBE for services to marine science. University of Plymouth.
15. Web site: Richard Thompson. Royal Society. 20 September 2020.
16. Web site: 2022 .
17. https://www.af-info.or.jp/en/blueplanet/news/announcing-the-winners-for-2023-blue-planet-prize.html