Wesleyan portrait of Ellen  Thomas

Ellen Thomas

Smith Curator of Paleontology of the Joe Webb Peoples Museum

Earth and Environmental Sciences, Exley Science Center, Room 455 265 Church Street
860-685-2238

Harold T. Stearns Professor of Integrative Sciences, Emerita

Earth and Environmental Sciences, Exley Science Center, Room 455 265 Church Street
860-685-2238

ethomas@wesleyan.edu

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BS University of Utrecht
MS University of Utrecht
PHD University of Utrecht

Ellen Thomas

I investigate benthic foraminifera (eukaryotic unicellular organisms) as proxies for the impact of changes in environment and climate on living organisms on various time scales, from millions of years to decades. I study foraminiferal assemblages, as well as trace element and isotope composition of their shells. Foraminifera live in salt or at least brackish water, so I concentrate on the oceans, from the deep sea up into tidal salt marshes. I am working to bring the  fossil collections in the Wesleyan Museum more in the spotlight. For more information, see my webpage either at Wesleyan or at Yale. I am interested in working with 3D scans and prints of foraminifera

POSITIONS

  • 2021: emeritus
  • 2018-present: Smith Curator of Paleontology of the Joe Webb Peoples Museum of Natural History, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT
  • 2016-present: Harold T. Stearns Professor of Integrative Sciences, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT
  • 2015-present: University Professor in the College of Integrated Sciences, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT
  • 2005-present: Senior Research Scientist, Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences, Yale University, New Haven CT
  • 2012-2016: Consultant in Paleobiology, American Museum of Natural History, NY.
  • 1997-present: Research Professor, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT
  • 2013: Leverhulme Visiting Professor, School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, UK
  • 2005: Visiting Professor, Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e Geologico- Ambientali, Universita' di Bologna, Bologna, ITALY
  • 1991-2005: Research Affiliate, Center for Study of Global Change, Department of Geology and Geophysics, Yale University, New Haven CT
  • 1994-1995: Faculty Fellow, Associated Kyoto Program, Doshisha University, Kyoto, JAPAN
  • 1992-1997: Research Associate Professor, Dept. Earth and Environmental Sciences, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT, USA
  • 1990-1992: Senior Lecturer in Marine Micropalaeontology, Department of Earth Sciences and Sub-department of Quaternary Research, University of Cambridge, UK
  • 1990-1992: University Fellow, New Hall College, University of Cambridge, UK
  • 1985-1990: Associate Research Scientist, Dept. Earth & Environmental Sciences, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT, USA
  • 1989-1990: Chief Scientist, Thames Science Center, New London, CT, USA
  • 1984-1989: Adj. Assoc. Res. Scientist, Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory, Columbia University, Palisades, NY, USA
  • 1982-1984: Asst. Res. Geologist, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
  • 1979-1982: Faculty Research Associate, Department of Chemistry, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
  • 1975-1979: Instructor and Curator of Micropaleontological Collections, University of Utrecht, Netherlands EDUCATION Ph.D.

HONORS

  • 2022: BBVA Frontiers of Knowledge Award in Climate Change, shared with J. C. Zachos
  • 2021: Wesleyan Prize for Excellence in Research
  • 2020: Joseph A. Cushman Medal for Excellence in Foraminiferal Research
  • 2019: Fellow of the Geological Society of America
  • 2018: Tsaihwa (James) Chow Lecturer, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, San Diego CA, October 15-16
  • 2016: Brady Medal, The Micropalaeontologial Society
  • 2013: Association for Women Geoscientists Professional Excellence Award
  • 2012: Maurice Ewing Medal, American Geophysical Union and Ocean Naval Research
  • 2012: Fellow of the American Geophysical Union
  • 2011: Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science

Academic Affiliations

Office Hours

e-mail me for an appointment