Professor Mason Tomson holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and Mathematics and a Ph.D. in Chemistry. He specializes in teaching and conducting research on the fate and transport of organic and inorganic chemicals, with a particular focus on aquatic processes. Professor Tomson has authored or co-authored over 500 peer-reviewed articles in prestigious journals such as Science, Journal of the American Chemical Society, Environmental Science & Technology, and Oil & Gas Journal. His contributions to the field are recognized by numerous patents and two authored books. His work has garnered an h-index of 64 and an i10-index of 235 on Google Scholar, with over 17,000 citations.
During his tenure at Rice, Professor Tomson has secured over $40 million in research funding, supervised more than 50 MS and PhD students, and played significant roles in university governance. He has chaired the Student Health Committee, the University Safety Committee, co-chaired the University Undergraduate Admissions Committee, and served on both the Corporate Council and Graduate Committees. Most recently, he led efforts to reform the Civil and Environmental Engineering curriculum.
His research has been at the forefront of understanding the fundamental physical-chemical mechanisms that govern the fate and transport of chemicals in the environment. This includes pioneering work on the enhanced transport of chemicals via molecular and nanoparticle carriers, irreversible adsorption of compounds to solids, and innovative mechanisms of mineral deposition and threshold inhibition.
Professor Tomson was instrumental in establishing a joint research initiative between Rice University and Nankai University in Tianjin, China, focusing on sustainable environmental development. He also facilitated a cooperative research program with the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at Macao University. His collaborative work with Professor Colvin on nanotechnology was recognized as one of the top five nanotech breakthroughs of 2006 by Forbes and featured in The New York Times. Additionally, his research on reducing water usage in hydraulic fracturing has been highlighted as a significant environmental breakthrough, while his advancements in mineral scale inhibitors have extended treatment lifetimes up to 500 times longer, resulting in significant reductions in carbon footprints and prolonged oil well lifetimes.