Professor David Thomas
My main academic interests include: Antarctic, Arctic and Baltic sea ice ecology & biogeochemistry; Role of dissolved organic matter in aquatic systems and land-ocean transitions; Inorganic nutrients & phytoplankton primary production; Industrial-scale microalgal biomass production & utilisation; Seaweed & halophyte ecology & physiology; Conveying science to non-specialist audiences; Connections between science & art.
My work is international in scope (worked & lived - apart from UK - in Germany for 7 years; Finland for 2.5 years; Denmark 10 months; Israel for 6 months).
Since the award of my PhD in 1988 I have:
- Participated in 14 research-cruises of between 2 weeks and 3 months: Southern Ocean (6), Arctic (2), North Sea (5) & North East Atlantic (1).
- I have conducted other fieldwork in the Baltic Sea (Finland & Sweden), Red Sea (Israel & Egypt) & White Sea (Russia), The Philippines, Vietnam & Wales.
- I have also led teams of between 10 and 20 scientists in 4 large-scale facility ice tank experiments in Hamburg (≈30 days each).
Latest News
Royal Society Publishing Photography Competition 2025
Please see a message from the Royal Society below:
We are delighted to announce that the 2025 Competition is now open for entries until 15 August for a chance to win £1000! The competition celebrates the power of photography in conveying the wonder of science happening all around us and photographs can be submitted in the categories of: Astronomy, Behaviour, Earth Science and Climatology, Ecology and Environmental Science, and Microimaging.
The competition is free to enter and open to anyone studying or working in science at graduate level or above. Category winners will receive a one-year membership to the Royal Photographic Society and the overall winner will receive a grand prize of £1,000. Find out more: https://bit.ly/RSPphotocomp
October 2025 MEDIN Workshop: Marine Data Management, Governance and the MEDIN toolset
The Marine Environmental Data and Information Network (MEDIN) are pleased to announce that registration is now open for the next occurrence of our popular free online training workshop: ‘Marine Data Management, Governance and the MEDIN toolset’ on the 13th – 17th October 2025 on OceanTeacher Global Academy.
Marine Data Management, Governance and the MEDIN toolset
The Marine Environmental Data and Information Network (MEDIN) and OceanWise are delighted to invite you to attend our popular free online training workshop: ‘Marine Data Management, Governance and the MEDIN toolset’ on the 19th – 23rd of May 2025.