Dr. Thomas is Director of Undergraduate Programs in the Department of Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at North Carolina State, spending 40 percent of her time in this administrative role. There are approximately 230 undergraduate students in the department and twelve different majors to choose from.

A lot of what Carrie does is advising, for both the students and the faculty, who often have questions relating to procedures and policy. She also performs assessments for accreditation, investigating how well the department is meeting its program objectives. Carrie's office also looks at incoming applications as well as participating in decisions on awards and scholarships.

Graduate students play an important role in Carrie's Antarctic research, both participating on research cruises and doing lab work at the university. Read their blog Wolfpack in Antarctica.

Carrie also advises graduate students, such as Rebecca Pirtle-Levy. She is Rebecca's major advisor, helping steer her to specific readings and other resources and helping her with scholarship applications.

"I love working with the students. It's just a joy."

In the slideshow above right, graduate student Rebecca Pirtle-Levy cuts quartz tubes for sample collection. She is beginning to combust samples from Antarctica, primarily animal tissues and sediments, and collecting the carbon dioxide to be analyzed for its isotopic composition. The quartz tubes will trap the gas cryogenically.