Robert Thorson is a geologist, author, and professor of earth sciences at the University of Connecticut. A Midwesterner by birth, a Northwesterner by training, and a New Englander by choice, he teaches and mentors students in the Department of Earth Sciences and the Honors Program, where his scholarship bridges geology, archaeology, ecology, environmental history, and literature.
His recent research focuses on two signature themes: defining a science of New England’s iconic fieldstone walls and uncovering the scientific side of Henry David Thoreau. He leads both the Stone Wall Initiative and the Stone Pavilion Project, in addition to broader scholarly and community engagement.