Prof. Ross Thompson

Professor Ross Thompson is the Dame Carolyn Burns Research Chair in Freshwater Sciences in the Department of Zoology at the University of Otago. Originally from Ashburton, NZ, Ross completed his PhD in 2001 at the University of Otago working on the impacts of clearcut forestry on waterways. He then completed post-doctoral studies in Canada. Over the past 20 years he has been based in Australia, primarily working on applied food web ecology. This has included studying impacts of afforestation for carbon capture, ecological effects of diffuse pollutants, how urbanisation impacts landscapes, and most recently, large-scale river restoration using environmental flows. His work has included working closely with the private sector, government and Indigenous groups, seeking transdisciplinary solutions to environmental ‘wicked problems’. Since returning to NZ in early 2025 Ross has focussed on building partnerships to address water quality and ecosystem health issues, with a particular focus on the lakes and rivers of southern New Zealand.