“There’s this moment when a student says, ‘I’ve been thinking — I have this idea.’ That spark is what keeps me inspired.”
Edward Thomas Jr.
Dean, College of Sciences and Mathematics
Professor of Physics
Edward “Ed” Thomas Jr. serves as dean of Auburn University’s College of Sciences and Mathematics and is a professor in the Department of Physics. An Auburn alumnus and internationally recognized plasma physicist, Thomas is the first COSAM dean to hold a doctorate from Auburn University.
Since joining Auburn in 2000, Thomas has advanced the college’s mission through leadership, scholarship and mentorship. His research in dusty plasma physics has been supported by major federal science agencies and has earned him fellow status in the American Physical Society, the Alabama Academy of Science and the National Society of Black Physicists. In 2025, he received Auburn University’s Distinguished Graduate Faculty Lectureship in recognition of his contributions to graduate education and research.
As dean, Thomas is committed to strengthening COSAM’s academic and research enterprise. His priorities include fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, expanding experiential learning opportunities for students, enhancing teaching and research facilities, and positioning COSAM as a cornerstone of Auburn’s land-grant mission.
Thomas has secured more than $17 million in external research funding and authored more than 80 peer-reviewed publications. He has also delivered more than 350 presentations and mentored nearly 40 undergraduate researchers, along with 30 graduate students and postdoctoral scholars who have gone on to faculty and research positions across the country.
Thomas holds a bachelor’s degree from the Florida Institute of Technology, a master’s degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a doctorate from Auburn University. He and his wife have two adult children, one of whom is also an Auburn graduate.
