Dr. Thomas completed his Ph.D. at the University of Pennsylvania. His dissertation entitled The Demography of Migrant Populations in South Africa built upon his master's work also at the University of Pennsylvania in Demography. Dr. Thomas has also completed a second masters degree at Western Michigan University and previously attended the Fourah Bay College in Sierra Leone. While completing his graduate studies, Dr. Thomas’ productivity and work was highly recognized. He was awarded four separate and distinguished fellowships. In addition to his fellowships, Dr. Thomas is also a member of the Academic Honor Society Phi Kappa Phi. The importance of his emerging field was highlighted when he was asked in 2006 to serve as a consultant to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). Dr. Thomas has numerous publications in various influential academic journals and has more manuscripts preparing to go to print. In addition to his major research focus on demographics, migration and migrant populations, he also focuses his research on Developmental and Social Change in the Third World and Diaspora populations in the United States.

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