College of Science’s Thomas Huff Retires This Year
Thomas Huff, MS Chemistry ’97, PhD Environmental Science and Policy ’11, will retire this year after many years of service as the director of the Shared Research Instrumentation Facility, George Mason’s core shared analytical equipment lab.
Huff specializes in analytical organic chemistry, environmental chemistry and chemical ecology. His research studies include the fate and transport processes of organic pollutants in surface waters in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Huff started the Shared Research Instrumentation Facility at George Mason in 1996, which provides a large selection of state-of-the-art instrumentation for conducting applied scientific research at no cost to George Mason faculty, staff, and students. He earned an MS in Chemistry and a PhD in Environmental Science and Policy from George Mason University—receiving the latter at age 56.
“Tom Huff has been an integral part of the team here at the Potomac Environmental Research and Education Center since we opened in 2017. An analytical chemist, Tom and his collaborator Chemistry Professor Greg Foster established a state-of-the art LC-MS lab here which has enabled us to complete both funded research and student projects,” said R. Christian Jones, director for the Potomac Environmental Research and Education Center. “Tom is a believer in the important concept of allowing students to learn by giving them access to these powerful machines. What goes along with that is detailed training and supervision so that good data is produced, and machines are well taken care of. Tom’s dedication and mentorship has produced notable theses and dissertations in Environmental Chemistry. He will sorely missed as a researcher and a mentor, but we celebrate his career.”
Huff has offered invaluable mentorship to students. In 2021, one of his mentees from Washington-Liberty High School was named a finalist in the prestigious Regeneron Science Talent Search, following an internship under Huff’s guidance at the Potomac Science Center in Woodbridge, where they collaborated on collecting and analyzing environmental samples. Huff has also overseen many participants in the College’s of Science’s Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program that provides transformative research opportunities for high school and undergraduate students.
The greatest reward throughout my career has been seeing students of every background acquire the essential analytical skills needed for their careers,” Huff said on his time at George Mason.
Huff’s commitment to teaching, research, and mentorship has shaped the academic journeys of countless students. The college wishes him well on his retirement.
