PHD Physics
University of Indiana Bloomington

BS Physics
University of Northern Iowa

I grew up in a small town in eastern Iowa named Center Point. There were 60 students in my high school
graduating class. There would have been more but one guy got expelled a week before graduation. The
school has since consolidated with Urbana (our archenemy in my day) to form CPU High. My mother was a science teacher there 1979 until 2002. Yes, I had her as a teacher- for physics no less!

I went to the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) as an undergraduate where I majored in Physics (of course) and Math. It was there that I first developed an interest in Nuclear Physics- thanks to Dr. Roger Hanson. However, life wasn't all school work (no, really). I enjoyed taking in UNI sporting events, playing intermural softball and basketball, and the occasional rock concert (not too many big names play the cornfields of Iowa). Then it was off to the big city of Bloomington, Indiana to attend graduate school at Indiana University. It was there I started working at the Jefferson Lab, where I continue to conduct research today!

I have one amazing son, Will, who is an FIU Alum! We spend a lot of time hiking together. I also like to travel to different countries with my brilliant and beautiful wife, who is also a faculty member at FIU. Our two dogs (Kumar & Tai) and two cats (Jackson & Alice) round out our household.