He has worked in international technical communication for more than 12 years. He has taught technical communications in South America for four years, and currently he is researching and teaching cross-cultural technical communication along the U.S.-Mexico border. His work in Mexico focuses on the issues of technical communications needed for outsourcing new technologies to maquilas (U.S.-owned manufacturing plants in Mexican border cities).Thatcher has published numerous articles on cross-cultural issues in technical and professional communication.