He is a professor of history at the University of Colorado at Denver, where he teaches classes in the history of the American West, Colorado, Denver, historic preservation, mining and railroads, national parks, and Western art and architecture.
[4] Noel leads walking, railroading, and motor-coach tours for various groups including The Colorado Historical Society and The Smithsonian.
[5] He chaired the Denver Landmark Preservation Commission and served as a National Register reviewer for Colorado.
His mother (a psychiatrist) and grandmother (a teacher) also received their graduate degree from the University of Colorado Boulder.
[6] His early work experience included part-time jobs such as a Christmas card salesman, gardener, paperboy, bus boy, soda jerk, pool hall attendant, life guard, swim instructor, library page, writer, dude ranch roustabout, Colorado Historical Society tour guide, and photo librarian.