Thomas Sumner Email & Phone Number

New York, NY, US

New York, New York, United States

Managed a team of more than a dozen freelance writers, copy editors and designers to create content for the foundation’s website and annual report. Coordinated publicity with other institutions and pitched stories to news outlets. Helmed a national media outreach campaign in advance of the foundation’s 2024 total solar eclipse science engagement.

New York, New York, United States

Led press releases and served as project manager for the annual report of one of the largest science funders in the United States. Supported the rapidly growing organization’s evolving communications strategy. Helped the publicity push for the discovery of gravitational waves from merging supermassive black holes, one of the biggest science stories of 2023.

New York, New York, United States

Penned and coordinated press releases and articles about cutting-edge research supported by the foundation and its in-house research division, the Flatiron Institute. Press releases included the discovery of a planet-eating star, which generated 65 news articles. Project managed and helped edit the foundation’s annual report.

Washington, District Of Columbia, United States

Covered the earth and environmental sciences beat for print and digital editions, scouring journals, talks and current events for original stories. Scoops consistently generated high readership and social media impact, such as a series of stories on the underestimation of methane emissions by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Washington, District Of Columbia, United States

Reported on scientific research and policy for Science’s news website and print journal, such as precision electron mass measurements and genome encryption. Stories regularly featured on the front page of Reddit and Slashdot.

Washington, District Of Columbia, United States

Wrote press releases on topics such as a lost Apollo experiment. Organized press conferences and ran social media for the AGU Fall Meeting. Generated coverage by ABC News, Wired, Science News, the Washington Post and others.

Stanford, California, United States

Wrote press releases related to groundbreaking Stanford University research projects, such as a lost opera recovered at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center and the ethics of bringing back extinct species. Press releases picked up by LiveScience, Wired.co.uk, NPR, The Daily Mail, ABC News, the Mumbai Mirror and others.

Salinas, California, United States

Reported breaking science, ecology and agriculture news articles around the California Central Coast for both print and digital editions, including the growing demand for drones in agriculture and local homeless issues. Stories were regularly featured on the newspaper’s front page and translated for the paper’s Spanish-language sister publication.

Wrote digital solutions manuals for a conceptual physical sciences textbook and an introductory quantum mechanics textbook.

Researched, pitched and wrote news articles and blog entries on recent breakthroughs and ongoing research in a variety of scientific fields, such as novel chemotherapy techniques and the biophysics of Venus flytraps. Stories syndicated to FoxNews.com, The Daily Mail, LiveScience and others.

Santa Cruz, California, United States

Ensured on-campus residents were provided a safe, positive learning environment through educational programs, community safety, and the college themes of “Social Justice & Community” as well as “International & Global Perspectives.”

Santa Cruz, California, United States

Worked as part of an international team of scientists and students to track balloon-based experiments over Antarctica that measured interactions between the solar wind and Earth's magnetic field.

Santa Cruz, California, United States

Graded physics problem sets and exams for introductory, honors and quantum physics courses.

Santa Cruz, California, United States

Part of a team of specialists that troubleshooted computer problems for newly moved-in students.

Graduate Certficate, Science Communication

Bachelor Of Science - Bs, Physics

• College Service Award • Social Justice and Community Leadership Award