Richard Thompson (marine biologist)

Richard C. Thompson OBE FRS 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.[1][2]

Richard Thompson OBE FRS
Born	Richard C. Thompson
Alma mater	University of Newcastle (BSc) University of Liverpool (PhD)
Scientific career
Fields	Marine biology Microplastics
Institutions	University of Plymouth
Thesis	The Ecology of Epilithic Microalgae (1996)

Education

Thompson was educated the University of Newcastle and the University of Liverpool where he was awarded a [[PhD] in 1996.

Career and research

Thompson's paper, Lost at Sea: Where is All the Plastic?,[3] published in the journal Science in 2004, was the first to use the term microplastics, which has since become common parlance.[4][5][6]

Since 2010 he has been professor of Marine Biology at the University of Plymouth.[7] Since 2018 he has also been director of the Marine Institute, part of the School of Biological and Marine Sciences at the University.[7] He also leads the University's International Marine Litter Research Unit.[8][9]

Publications

• Thompson, Richard. (2006). Plastics. In: Dominant Wave Theory. By Andrew Hughes. Pp. 112–116. London: Booth-Clibborn, 2006. ISBN 9781861542847. New York: Abrams, 2007. ISBN 9780810993099.
• "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. ISBN 978-92-79-15653-3.
• 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. ISBN 92-9225-444-8. 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. ISBN 9780415625821. Paperback: Routledge, 2017. ISBN 9781138063068. Pp.150–169.

Awards and honours

• 2016: Marsh Award for Marine and Freshwater Conservation from the Zoological Society of London and Marsh Christian Trust[10][11][12]
• 2018: Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2018 New Year Honours for services to marine science[13]
• 2020: Elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS)

References

1. Buranyi, Stephen (31 December 2019). "The missing 99%: why can't we find the vast majority of ocean plastic?". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2020-01-02 – via www.theguardian.com.
2. "Plastic pollution with Richard Thompson" on The Life Scientific, BBC Radio 4
3. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/8575062_Lost_at_Sea_Where_Is_All_the_Plastic
4. Thompson, Andrea. "Earth Has a Hidden Plastic Problem—Scientists Are Hunting It Down". Scientific American. Retrieved 2020-01-02.
5. "To Save the Oceans, Should You Give Up Glitter?". National Geographic News. 30 November 2017. Retrieved 2020-01-02.
6. "Microplastic waste: This massive (tiny) threat to sea life is now in every ocean". The Independent. 13 July 2014. Retrieved 2020-01-02.
7. "Professor Richard Thompson OBE - University of Plymouth". www.plymouth.ac.uk. Retrieved 2020-01-02.
8. Maps, University of Plymouth Drake Circus Plymouth Devon PL4 8AA United Kingdom [phone]; vacancies, directions Visit us Job. "International Marine Litter Research Unit team". University of Plymouth. Retrieved 2020-01-02.
9. Richard Thompson on Twitter
10. "World leader in microplastic research receives award from the Zoological Society of London". University of Plymouth. Retrieved 2020-01-02.
11. "Marsh Christian Trust – Marsh Award for Marine and Freshwater Conservation". www.marshchristiantrust.org. Retrieved 2020-01-02.
12. "Prestigious awards honour the stars of conservation science". British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Retrieved 2020-01-02.
13. "Professor Richard Thompson made an OBE for services to marine science". University of Plymouth. Retrieved 2020-01-02.