A man known for studying the history of rocks is also making a history of his own as man with a passion for change, public outreach, and of course, geology. Rob Thomas' childhood summer trips to National Parks first ignited his interest in geology, something that still burns strongly today. As a professor at University of Montana Western, his professional passions are still field geology and geological education. During his tenure at Montana Western, he helped the campus evolve from a traditional state 'normal school' into an experiential learning university, that uses an immersion scheduling system where students take one course at a time. Thomas teaches most of his courses where the class' lab is the natural lab of southwestern Montana.

With another strong passion for public outreach, Thomas has helped run 10 "Geo Venture" field trips for the Geological Society of America, for which he was awarded the Society's Distinguished Service Award. The Geo Venture trips provide both scientists and the average person with enriching learning experiences of each unique destination, such as the Canadian Rockies and the Yellowstone, Teton and Glacier National Parks. In addition, he has also co-authored 25 geological road signs that have been placed along the Lewis and Clark trail in Montana, and is co-writing a layperson book entitled "Geology Underfoot in Montana." He has also organized numerous symposia and authored and co-authored numerous publications. With such a long and extensive resume of accomplishments, Thomas still thinks his most important contributions are his two daughters, Abbey and Haley, and his nearly 20-year marriage to Anneliese Ripley.