Richard Thompson (marine biologist)


Richard C. Thompson 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.

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?, published in the journal Science in 2004, was the first to use the term microplastics, which has since become common parlance.
Since 2010 he has been professor of Marine Biology at the University of Plymouth. Since 2018 he has also been director of the Marine Institute, part of the School of Biological and Marine Sciences at the University. He also leads the University's International Marine Litter Research Unit.

Publications