Sylvia W. Thomas

Sylvia Wilson Thomas
Born
Sylvia Wilson Thomas
Alma materVanderbilt University (B.S., M.E.)
Howard University (Ph.D.)
OccupationsEngineer, researcher, academic administrator
EmployerUniversity of South Florida
Known forResearch in bio- and nanoelectronic device integration
TitleVice President for Research & Innovation, University of South Florida
WebsiteUSF profile

Sylvia Wilson Thomas is an American engineer, researcher, professor, and academic administrator. She is known for her research on bio- and nanoelectronic device integration using advanced membrane and material systems for applications in healthcare, sustainability, and energy systems. She is a fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Early life and education

Thomas, born in Itta Bena, Mississippi, earned her Bachelor of Science (1988) and Master of Engineering (1990) degrees in Electrical Engineering from Vanderbilt University. She completed her Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering at Howard University in 1999, specializing in materials science of semiconductor elements and devices. Her dissertation focused on the optimization and characterization of aluminum nitride for ultraviolet detector applications.[1]

Career

Thomas worked at Bell Labs / Lucent Technologies and then moved to the University of South Florida.[1] where is a professor of electrical engineering.[2] In 2021, she was appointed interim Vice President for Research & Innovation at USF; in 2024 she was permanently named to the position.[3] As of 2025, she is president of and chief executive officer of University of South Florida Research Foundation and Research Park.[4][5]

Research

Thomas' work focuses on nanofiber systems, semiconductor materials, and bio-nano devices for drug delivery, sensing,[6] and filtration. She holds patents for her work in biosensor technologies.

Awards and honors

Selected works

  • Vittetoe, Andrew W.; Niemann, Michael U.; Srinivasan, Sesha S.; McGrath, Kimberly; Kumar, Ashok; Goswami, D. Yogi; Stefanakos, Elias K.; Thomas, Sylvia (2009). "Destabilization of LiAlH4 by nanocrystalline MgH2". International Journal of Hydrogen Energy. 34 (5): 2333–2339. doi:10.1016/j.ijhydene.2009.01.025. Retrieved 2026-04-26.
  • Jayathilaka, Wanasinghe Arachchige Dumith Madushanka; Qi, Kun; Qin, Yanli; Chinnappan, Amutha; Serrano‐García, William; Baskar, Chinnappan; Wang, Hongbo; He, Jianxin; Cui, Shizhong; Thomas, Sylvia W.; Ramakrishna, Seeram (2019). "Significance of Nanomaterials in Wearables: A Review on Wearable Actuators and Sensors". Advanced Materials. 31 (7). doi:10.1002/adma.201805921. ISSN 0935-9648. Retrieved 2026-04-26.
  • Chaudhary, Meghna; Kosyluk, Kristin; Thomas, Sylvia; Neal, Tempestt (2023-07-02). "On the use of aspect-based sentiment analysis of Twitter data to explore the experiences of African Americans during COVID-19". Scientific Reports. 13 (1). doi:10.1038/s41598-023-37592-1. ISSN 2045-2322. PMC 10315393. PMID 37394523. Retrieved 2026-04-26.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: unflagged free DOI (link)
  • US 9163374B2, "Use of cactus mucilage as a dispersant and absorbent for oil–water mixtures", published 2015-10-20, assigned to University of South Florida 
  • US 20210369157A1, "Silicon carbide nanoparticles fibrous membrane glucose sensor integrated with chronoamperometric potentiostat", published 2021-12-02, assigned to University of South Florida 

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Howard Alumna Sylvia Wilson Thomas Inducted into AIMBE College of Fellows". Howard University. 2020. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
  2. ↑ "Sylvia Wilson Thomas". USF Faculty Honors, Prizes, and Awards. Retrieved 2026-04-26.
  3. ↑ Piper, Julia (February 2, 2024). "Transitions". The Chronicle of Higher Education ; Washington. ProQuest 2933424789.
  4. ↑ "Dr. Sylvia Wilson Thomas". University of South Florida. Archived from the original on January 16, 2025. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
  5. ↑ Wolff, Ilene (January 7, 2024). "I Don't Think It Gets Any Better Than Sylvia". EE Times. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
  6. ↑ Seufert, B.; Thomas, S.; Takshi, A. (2025). "String-Shaped Electrodes for Aβ42 Detection Towards Early Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease". Chemosensors. 13 (6): 199. doi:10.3390/chemosensors13060199.
  7. ↑ "How This BEYA Winner Is Forging New Paths in STEM". Black Engineer. March 5, 2020. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
  8. ↑ "Dr. Sylvia Thomas Inducted into AIMBE College of Fellows". Sylvia Wilson Thomas, Ph.D., AIMBE College of Fellows Class of 2020. AIMBE. March 30, 2020. Retrieved November 6, 2025.
  9. ↑ "Two USF Faculty Named National Academy of Inventors Fellows". USF News. December 8, 2022. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
  10. ↑ "The Top 50 Women Leaders in Education of 2023". The Women We Admire. 25 September 2023. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
  11. ↑ "Two USF Faculty Innovators Selected for the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame". University of South Florida. May 30, 2024. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
  12. ↑ "AAAS Fellows 2025". AAAS. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
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