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Brent Thomas

Senior Operations Researcher
Pittsburgh Office

Education

M.S. and Ph.D. in water resources, University of California, Los Angeles; M.S. in environmental engineering, University of Texas; B.S. in chemical engineering, classical languages, and mathematics, Vanderbilt University

Overview

Brent Thomas is an optimization specialist who focuses on resource management in the fields of manpower and infrastructure for clients in the national defense and homeland security sectors. Thomas' current work focuses on evaluating policy options for shaping expeditionary medical care and base resiliency in high-intensity conflict environments. More broadly, he is particularly interested in the areas of missile defense and resiliency, military logistics, career field management, organization of training programs, and resource allocation in air transport networks. He previously worked as an engineer in optimizing fuel blend stock selection and as an environmental consultant in water quality modeling.

Research Focus

Recent Projects

  • Supporting Medical Operations in Denied Environments
  • Evaluation of Integrated Air and Missile Defense Capabilities
  • Ensuring Combat Operations in a A2/AD Environment
  • Increasing the Fuel Efficiency of Air Force Mobility Operations
  • More Effective and Efficient Use of Mobility Air Forces Through Global Fleet Management

Selected Publications

Brent Thomas, Mahyar A. Amouzegar, Rachel Costello, Robert A. Guffey, Andrew Karode, Christopher Lynch, Kristin F. Lynch, Ken Munson, Chad J. R. Ohlandt, Daniel M. Romano, Ricardo Sanchez, Robert S. Tripp, Joseph V. Vesely, Project AIR FORCE Modeling Capabilities for Support of Combat Operations in Denied Environments, RAND (RR-427), 2015

McGarvey, Ronald; Light, Thomas; Thomas, Brent; Sanchez, Ricardo, Commercial intratheater airlift: cost-effectiveness analysis of use in U.S. central command in 2009, RAND (TR-1313), 2013

Roo, Ben D. van.; Carrillo, Manuel; Drew, John; Lang, Thomas.; Maletic, Amy L.; Massey, Hugh; Masters, James; McGarvey, Ronald; Sollinger, Jerry; Thomas, Brent; Tripp, Robert, Analysis of the Air Force logistics enterprise: evaluation of global repair network options for supporting the C-130, RAND (TR-813), 2011

McGarvey, Ronald; Carrillo, Manuel; Cato, Douglas C.; Drew, John; Lang, Thomas.; Lynch, Kristin; Maletic, Amy L.; Massey, Hugh; Masters, James; Pyles, Raymond; Sanchez, Ricardo; Sollinger, Jerry; Thomas, Brent; Tripp, Robert; Roo, Ben D. van., Analysis of the Air Force logistics enterprise: evaluation of global repair network options for supporting the F-16 and KC-135, RAND (MG-872), 2009

J.H. Bigelow, William W. Taylor, S.Craig Moore, Brent Thomas, Estimating the Operational Training Needs of Air Force Fighter Squadrons, RAND (RB-107), 2003

J.H. Bigelow, William W. Taylor, S.Craig Moore, Brent Thomas, Models of Operational Training in Fighter Squadrons, RAND (MR-1701), 2003

William W. Taylor, J.H. Bigelow, S.Craig Moore, Leslie Wickman, Brent Thomas, Richard Marken, Absorbing Air Force Fighter Pilots: Parameters, Problems, and Policy Options, RAND (MR-1550), 2002

Honors & Awards

  • Silver Medal Award for shaping strategies to support operational resiliency in high-intensity conflict environments, RAND Corporation, 2015
  • Silver Medal Award for developing investment models for operational resiliency, RAND Corporation, 2014
  • Outstanding Paper in Hydrology for "Identification of Complex Reactive Transport Processes in Groundwater Modeling", American Geophysical Union, 2003

Publications