معرفی
Douglas M. Thompson is the Rosemary Park Professor of Geoscience in the Environmental Studies Program and the Department of Physics, Astronomy and Geophysics at Connecticut College, where he joined in 1997. He also serves as the Suzi Oppenheimer '56 Faculty Director of the Office of Sustainability.
His educational background includes a B.A. from Middlebury College and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from Colorado State University.
- B.A., Middlebury College
- M.S., Colorado State University
- Ph.D., Colorado State University
Professor Thompson's research centers on fluvial geomorphology, specifically the study of stream and river channels and the physical processes operating in these environments. He focuses on understanding how flowing water and resulting turbulence influence physical channel characteristics, with particular interest in the formation and maintenance of pool and riffle sequences. His field work primarily occurs in coarse-bedded and high-gradient channels preferred by trout and salmon, which are characterized by high turbulence and complex flow patterns that significantly influence channel shape and evolution. Thompson emphasizes the importance of understanding these physical environments to adequately protect aquatic species.
Thompson is the author of The Quest for the Golden Trout: Environmental Loss and America's Iconic Fish (University Press of New England, 2013), which examines environmental degradation of rivers and fisheries management practices. His work has been featured in the New York Times Opinion Page with an article titled The Cost of Trout Fishing, which generated discussion with the American Fisheries Society.
He is an active member of several professional organizations:
- Geological Society of America (Fellow)
- American Geophysical Union
- Geological Society of Connecticut
- Native Fish Coalition (National Advisory Council)
Professor Thompson teaches a range of Environmental Studies/Geoscience courses including Introduction to Environmental Geology (120), Plate Tectonics (201), Earth Surface Processes and Landforms (202), Hydrology (210), Weather and Climate (211), River Environments (315), and Geologic Hazards and Humans (493d). He also offers the Freshman Seminar FYS 118K, The Taming of American Rivers. Previously, he served as the Heurich Harrison Faculty Director of the Goodwin-Niering Center for the Environment and participates in the College's Environmental Model Committee.
