Austin Thomas is a recent PhD graduate of the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources and an NSF-funded Smart Grid IGERT program Trainee. Prior to joining UVM, Austin completed two degrees in meteorology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and University of Reading (UK). His research at UVM involved modelling wind and solar energy infrastructure requirements and landscape impacts of large-scale renewable energy infrastructure deployments. His dissertation is titled 'Electric Grid Decarbonization Pathways: Landscape Impacts, Policy Interactions, and the Need for Cooperation' and can be accessed below. Outside of academia, Austin enjoys sports of all kinds, weather, politics, and traveling the world.

Click here to view and download Dr. Thomas' PhD dissertation