Tom Weber: Associate Professor
Position/What you do at U of R?
I’m an Associate Professor here in EES. I’m an ocean biogeochemist by training, and my research aims to better understand the ocean’s biological carbon cycle and interactions between marine ecosystems and global climate.
Where are you from?
I’m from the United Kingdom, near Liverpool, but I’ve lived in the USA for almost 20 years now ever since grad school.
What got you interested in Earth and Environmental Sciences?
I might be one of the only people to cite money as the original motivation for my Earth and Environmental Sciences journey! That is, geology was one of many subjects I enjoyed in school, and I decided to pursue a geology degree due to the potential for earning the big bucks in the mining or hydrocarbon industries. However, exposure to a couple of oceanography and climate science classes convinced me that my future was not in oil, and I decided to continue into grad school to further explore ocean-climate interactions. Ultimately, I traded the big oil bucks for a career of discovery and pursuing my interests, and I couldn’t be happier with the decision.
What do you enjoy most about U of R?
My colleagues here in EES. We have a unique department, with a relatively small faculty whose research interests span all the way from exoplanets, the deep earth, landscapes, to the ocean and atmosphere. Each faculty member is distinct in their primary expertise, but unafraid to step out of their comfort zones and find shared interests with colleagues from very different fields. This has led some extraordinary research collaborations, and scientific adventures that I don’t think I would have experienced in any other department.
What is your favorite thing to do in Rochester, NY?
I love the range of outdoors activities that can be accessed within the city and surrounding area - hiking on the Crescent Trail, kayaking in the Finger Lakes, apple picking in the Fall, and sledding with my daughter in the winter snow.
What is your favorite book?
As an oceanographer I love stories with a nautical theme, but I’m also passionately interested in history. So my favorite book is a compilation of Joseph Conrad’s Tales of the Sea, which shines a light on 19th century history (and human psychology) through the experiences of mariners. Within it, Heart of Darkness is my single favorite story - it's an incredible work of fiction in its own right, but will take on an entirely new dimension if you spend a little time learning about the history of the so-called Congo Free State before reading, and understand the depths of “the horror, the horror”.