Robert L. Thomas, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Wayne State University since 2001, has agreed to a two-year contract extension through August 2012. The announcement was made by Wayne State President Jay Noren.

Robert L. Thomas

Thomas, who came to WSU in 1964 as a member of the physics department faculty, was named assistant department chairman in 1981, interim dean of the College of Science in 2000 and dean in 2001. He founded Wayne State's Institute for Manufacturing Research, which he directed from 1986-2000. When the university merged the colleges of science and liberal arts in 2004, Thomas was appointed to head the combined College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

As chair of the physics department, he led a team that developed a patented technology that uses vibration and high-frequency sound to detect minute cracks in a variety of materials. The technique is particularly useful for detecting structural cracks in hidden areas.

Thomas had a leadership role in establishing the university's Confucius Institute, a program aimed at enhancing intercultural understanding by providing scholarly resources and programs related to Chinese language and culture. The institute is the outgrowth of a visit to China in 2006 by a Wayne State delegation, of which Dean Thomas was a key member, to explore opportunities to boost the university's international enrollment, build additional relationships with Chinese universities and promote economic ties between China and Southeast Michigan. Detailed discussions followed during the next two years and the institute opened its doors at Wayne State in 2008.

A graduate of Bowdoin College and Brown University, Thomas is a fellow of the American Physical Society and a member of the university's prestigious Academy of Scholars. He lives in Huntington Woods, Mich.

Wayne State University is a premier urban research university offering more than 350 academic programs through 13 schools and colleges to more than 31,000 students.