Hywel Rhys Thomas

Hywel Rhys Thomas is a British scientist researching in the area of civil engineering, who is known for his work on the behaviour of unsaturated soils. He is Professor of Civil Engineering and founder director of the Geoenvironmental Research Centre at Cardiff University, and served as a pro-vice chancellor of that university (2010–18). He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 2012 and has been president of the Learned Society of Wales since 2020.

Career Thomas was a senior research assistant at University College, Swansea in 1978. In 1980, he joined Cardiff University as successively lecturer, senior lecturer and reader; he was appointed Professor of Civil Engineering in 1995. He has also held the posts of Senior Deputy Head (1999–2002) and then director of the Cardiff School of Engineering (2002–2010).

Research Thomas is known for his research into the behaviour of unsaturated soils. He researches high-speed aerodynamics, data analysis, geoenvironmental and geotechnical engineering; his main research interests are "Coupled Processes in the Ground" and the Royal Society of London (2012), a member of the Academia Europaea (2012)

Selected publications Thomas' highest-cited research articles are: H. R. Thomas, P. Cleall, Y.-C. Li, C. Harris, M. Kern-Luetschg (2009). Modelling of cryogenic processes in permafrost and seasonally frozen soils. Géotechnique 59 (3): 173–84 H. R. Thomas, Y. He (1995). Analysis of coupled heat, moisture and air transfer in a deformable unsaturated soil. Géotechnique 45 (4): 677–89