He was educated at Harvard University where he earned bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees in biological sciences with a concentration in botany.
Thomas took the position of chancellor at North Carolina State University in 1976; he was the school's ninth chief executive.
[3][7] A notable hire of his presidency at Alabama was that of Ray Perkins to succeed Bear Bryant as the school's football coach in December 1982.
[3] The Thomas Building on Penn State's University Park campus is named in his honor, and houses parts of the Eberly College of Science, including the Department of Statistics.
He traveled several times each year to meet agricultural authorities and visit research facilities where this work was being done.