Edward "Ed" Thomas Jr., interim dean and professor of physics, was chosen as the new dean of COSAM, according to an article by Auburn's Office of Communication and Marketing.
After a national search, Thomas is appointed as of March 1, 2023.
He will become the first COSAM dean appointed to hold a doctorate from Auburn.
"I am deeply humbled to take on this new role to serve COSAM," Thomas told OCM. "The past year and a half as interim dean has been an invaluable learning experience that has allowed me to work with our college’s leadership team in new and different ways."
Working with 2,800 students, Thomas Jr. served as interim dean since 2021, where he centered on encouraging students to pursue advanced mission-driven activities.
"The past two years have marked an important transitional period for Auburn and the College of Sciences and Mathematics,” said University President Christopher B. Roberts. “As interim dean, Dr. Thomas brought a wealth of academic and administrative experience to the role, allowing him to lead the college while visualizing its strategic path forward."
Thomas Jr. has a goal of creating future leaders by establishing mentorship and internship programs.
“The opportunity to learn from our faculty, students and staff has enabled me to identify new approaches to optimize our work and foster important relationships with our stakeholders," Thomas said. "As the first COSAM dean to hold a doctoral degree from Auburn, it’s an honor to serve my alma mater in this capacity."
In 2000, Thomas joined Auburn University as an assistant professor and then later, served as the 2017 associate dean for research and graduate studies.
In this role, Thomas Jr. designed the college to strengthen culture of discovery and innovation while acting as the director of the Magnetized Plasma Research Laboratory.
Thomas produced over $17 million in external funding and authored over 80 peer-reviewed publications.
During his time as a professor, Thomas Jr., instructed nearly 40 undergraduate researchers and served as a professor to 30 post-doctoral research scholars and graduate students.
Thomas has a bachelor's degree from Florida Institute of Technology. He also has a master's degree from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a doctorate from Auburn University. Thomas and his wife have two children — one of which who was also an Auburn alumnus.
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
Harlee Meydrech, senior in public relations with a minor in business, is the assistant managing editor at The Auburn Plainsman.
