Thompson, Louis Milton, 1914-2009

Louis M. Thompson received a B.S. (1935) in agronomy from Texas A & M College (University) and an M.S. (1947) and Ph.D. (1950) in soil fertility from Iowa State College (University).

Dr. Thompson took the position of Instructor of Agronomy (1936-1942) at Texas A & M. He then joined the Army (1942-1946), where he served as an Infantry Officer during World War II. Dr. Thompson returned to Texas A & M as an Assistant Professor Agronomy (1946). Later that year, Dr. Thompson moved to Iowa State College (University) to become a Teaching Assistant in Agronomy ((1940-1947). He accepted the position of Assistant Professor of Agronomy (1947-1950) and was promoted to Professor in Charge of Farm Operation and Professor of Agronomy at Iowa State University (1950-1958). He also served as an Associate Dean for Academic Programs (1958-1983).

Dr. Thompson was involved in many professional societies. His memberships include the following: American Society of Agronomy, Iowa Academy of Science, American Meteorological Society, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), and the Soil and Water Conservation Society. He also belonged to numerous honor societies including: Alpha Zeta, Cardinal Key, Gamma Sigma Delta (national president, 1956-1958), Phi Kappa Phi (chapter president, 1959) and Sigma Xi.

Dr. Thompson received several professional recognitions including being named an American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellow, an American Society of Agronomy Fellow, a Soil Science Society of America Fellow, and a Soil and Water Conservation Society Fellow. He was also a member of the Academic Advisory Committee for the Foundation for the Study of Cycles and a National Honorary Member of Farm House Fraternity.

Dr. Thompson also received numerous awards including the Alpha Zeta Award to Outstanding Faculty Member (1957), the President's Citation by the Soil and Water Conservation Society (1972), the DIstinguished Service Award of Merit from Gamma SIgma Delta (1978), the Henry A. Wallace Award for Distinguished Service to Agriculture (1982), the Friends of Agriculture Award by the National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA), the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (1993), and the Award for Distinguished Service to Iowa Agriculture Award by the Iowa Farm Bureau (1995). He also received several awards from Iowa State University: the Faculty Citation by the Iowa State Alumni Association (1990), the Named Innovator Award by the Iowa State University Agriculture Alumni Association (1992), the Distinguished Achievement Citation by the Iowa State University Alumni Association (1992), and the Alumni Recognition Medal by the Iowa State University Alumni Association (1996).