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Scientist Spotlight:
Scientist Spotlight:
Tyler Thomas
Tyler Thomas
Hometown: Bucks County, PA & The Island of Hawaii
College: University of Rhode Island
Tyler graduated from URI in May 2024. Throughout college, he worked as a research assistant in the Robinson Lab. After working with Becky and Pat on research cruise in the Gulf of Mexico in 2022, Tyler was eager to assist on our current cruise. He plans to pursue a graduate degree in a science field.
The following information has been adapted from an interview between Kiley and Tyler.
Q: How did you know what you wanted to study in college?
A: I was initially planning on majoring in anthropology but ended up changing to environmental science because of a really great teacher I had in high school in Hawaii. She ran a marine mammal conservation organization and did a lot of work with humpback whales and spinner dolphins. I was able to volunteer with her and do some population tracking. That's what introduced me to ecology and I really loved it.
When I decided to go to URI, I knew I wanted to pursue ecology/environmental science.
Q: You landed a job as a research assistant in our chief scientist's (Becky Robinson) lab. How did that happen?
A: I was taking a class called Oceans in Human Health which still fulfilled one of my environmental science credits. One of the TAs (teaching assistants) in that class was a master's students in Becky's lab. After the first day of class, she announced that the lab needed undergraduate help and to come talk to her if anyone was interested. She sent us a link to Becky's research page through URI so I looked through it and thought to myself "I don't really know anything about this, but it seems super cool". I had done some wetland ecology lab and field work in my freshman year at URI, but I was interested in getting some marine research experience.
So I went up and said I was interested and started working in the Robinson Lab. I worked closely with Isabel Dove taking measurements of sediments collected in the Antarctic Peninsula. I never thought I would actually get to be there!
Q: You ended up working on a cruise with Becky and Pat in the Gulf of Mexico in 2022. This cruise, though, is much longer and further from home. What skills or assets do you think helped you get an invite for this grand opportunity?
A: I am here because of Becky. She kind of mentored me throughout college and allowed me to be part of some really cool opportunities. At my graduation party, Becky was asking me about my plan. I told her that I wanted to pursue a graduate degree but only after taking a couple of years off to travel. She asked if I would be around for the fall and winter and if I wanted to help out on a cruise in the Southern Ocean. I of course said yes, because what an amazing opportunity to gain research experience and build connections with other scientists. Plus, its a travel experience I couldn't get anywhere else. I am helping out wherever I can on this cruise and learning as much as possible.
Q: Research experience in college seems to be a really important for people wanting to pursue graduate degrees. Often times, the opportunities to assist in labs are limited and there is quite a bit of competition to get those positions. What things can future students do to make themselves stand out and be offered coveted opportunities?
A: The things I found that helped me stand out most were: 1) showing up in person, and 2) having done some background reading about the professor's work. Don't wait for the opportunity to come to you; instead, take charge and show up in person. Showing your interest in someone's work goes a long way, too. If you're excited about what they are studying, they will be excited about sharing it with you because they have dedicated their lives to that work. They will be eager to teach you and take you in, even if you don't have any experience. That's what happened with me in Becky's lab.
I also worked in another lab at URI studying wetland ecology. I thought it was be so competitive to get into, but I just went into the professor's office during her office hours and said "I've read about your research, it's really cool. I don't really have experience, but I would love to learn and help you out any way I can." And I got the job.
Q: How do you think this cruise will help you in future endeavors such as grad school, jobs, etc.?
A: It's really helpful for me to be surrounded people who have recently gotten their PhD. I've been asking them lots of questions. The world of graduate school is still kind of a mystery to me, so I'm trying to get a sense of their journey and how the whole process works.
Those conversations and my experiences on board have also helped me think more about what exactly I want to study. I'm learning that paleoceanography, biogeochemistry, and other marine sciences are all very interdisciplinary and dynamic. For example, Katie (recent PhD and member of our science party) is more focused on the biological and molecular side of things with the DNA and RNA, but she's still dealing with sediments and the ocean. Someone like Kristin (also a recent PhD and member of our science party) is more chemistry and paleoceanography-focused but she's also doing biological things like the culture experiments. Everyone has their own expertise to the table to accomplish complex science goals.
Tyler and Amanda filter the biomass collected in their net tow over the side of the NBP.
Q: You were able to do some ecological research while studying abroad in Spain. Most students take language and culture classes while studying abroad and don't get to delve into academics in their field. How did you manage that?
A: Knowing the language before you go is really important. I knew I wanted to go to Spain even before I started college. So I minored in Spanish in order to learn the language. That way when I got to Spain, I wasn't just taking basic language classes but instead, I could be more immersed in science classes there.
I enjoyed my time abroad felt very connected to the ecological research I was involved in there, so I am now looking into graduate programs in Spain!
Q: What are some of your hobbies outside of school and research?
A: Hiking, surfing, rock climbing... and also basketball. I like to play in community basketball leagues with my friends. I'm also very into music, both listening and playing. I play guitar pretty much every day. Since living in Spain, I've gotten more into urban exploration, too. I used to not be a huge fan of large cities, but now I love love to explore in places like Philadelphia and New York.
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