Thomas to give Distinguished Graduate Faculty Lecture on Feb. 4

Edward Thomas, Jr., Professor of Physics and Dean of the College of Science and Mathematics, will give Auburn University’s 2025-26 Distinguished Graduate Faculty Lecture on Wednesday, Feb. 4, at 4:00 p.m. in the Science Center Auditorium at Auburn University.

The lecture honors a faculty member who has made significant contributions to graduate education at Auburn University. Thomas’ address is entitled “The plasma must flow - studying transport processes to probe the electrical & thermal properties of plasmas & dusty plasmas.”

Supported by the National Science Foundation, Department of Defense, National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Department of Energy, Thomas’ research focuses on dusty (complex) plasmas, strongly magnetized plasmas and laboratory simulations of the near-Earth space plasma environment. His work explores wave, particle and energy transport in plasma systems.

Thomas has served on numerous national and international advisory committees, including the National Academies Board on Physics and Astronomy and the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory Advisory Board. He is a fellow of the American Physical Society and the National Society of Black Physicists.

The Distinguished Graduate Faculty Lecture series is jointly sponsored by the Graduate School and the Auburn Alumni Association. Since beginning in the 1975-76 academic year, it has developed into a major university lecture series that fosters a better understanding of the scholarly contributions made by Auburn’s faculty. Nominations for the honor are solicited from the university’s faculty, and the recipient is selected by a committee of graduate faculty members. The lecturer receives a $2,000 award from the Auburn Alumni Association and is recognized at Auburn University’s annual Faculty Awards ceremony.

The lecture will conclude with a brief award presentation and reception with light refreshments. Students, faculty and members of the community are invited to RSVP and attend the lecture event. For more information about the Distinguished Graduate Faculty Lecture, visit the Graduate School's website.