Thomas is from Des Moines, Iowa. He attended the University of Iowa studying political science, philosophy, and economics focusing on foreign policy and civil conflicts. He was a member of the Iowa Policy and Opinion Lab (IPOL) and focused his work on environmental policy issues and public opinion for the state of Iowa.

Thomas’ research interests are in civil conflicts; specifically, how larger conflict dynamics and environmental factors may impact decision-making by both government and rebels. He is also interested in research methodology and how methodology can help provide insight into otherwise difficult-to-explore topics.