Thomas received his PhD from the UofA in chemical engineering with an emphasis on biochemical engineering, and after his post-doctoral work on coal synthesis gas fermentation, he was named the Biotechnology Laboratory Director at the University’s Engineering Research Center.

Thomas then moved to work at Oak Ridge National Laboratory for 12 years as a Research and Development Engineer and Group Leader of the Biochemical Engineering Research Group and the Remediation Technology Group.

In 2004, Thomas joined the U.S.D.A.’s Agricultural Research Service as a Leader for the Commodity Utilization Research Unit in New Orleans. The group’s research activities include the development of processes for converting agricultural byproducts to fuels and products, developing unique vegetable oils, alternative uses and recovery of cottonseed oil, and process improvement in sugar factories.

Thomas has authored over 220 research journal articles, book chapters, and scientific reports, as well as making numerous invited presentations. He often serves as an expert reviewer for proposals and projects for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technology Office and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. In 2021, he was ranked in the top 0.8% of the 52,500 scientists Worldwide in the Biotechnology research area.

Arkansas Academy of Chemical Engineers, 2025.