1. Can you tell us your home department and how long have you been a faculty at APU?

I am a chemistry professor in the Department of Biology and Chemistry, and I am in my second year at APU as a faculty member.

2. What classes are you teaching this year?

I am teaching General Chemistry, Quantitative Chemical Analysis, Scientific Writing, and Senior Seminar this year.

3. What is your area of research/teaching and how did you get interested in this area?

I teach the analytical chemistry courses at APU with a home discipline of electrochemistry. My research is an application of electrochemistry to make new battery materials. I want to design new molecules capable of storing charge in large scale batteries for renewable energy storage. I got interested in this area during my postdoctoral fellowship where I learned more about how chemistry can be applied to solve large environmental problems and make us all better stewards.

4. When and how did you get interested in studying Chemistry (or science in general)?

When I was an undergraduate at APU, I started as a biochemistry major for two years, then realized I was much more of a chemist! I also realized I wanted to do research and did not want to be responsible for keeping things alive or killing them, thus my move into chemistry. I had always liked science, but I liked social studies a lot more in grade school. It wasn't until I got to college and got to do a lot of hands-on chemistry that I really fell in love with it.

5. What are some of the things you most enjoy being in APU?

The students are what make APU the special place that it is. I absolutely love teaching and being in the lab with students, getting to see them learn and grow as scholars and people. Also, January/February/March aren't too bad in Southern California!

6. What are some fun things you like to do?

I like to run, play tennis, play with my dog (Oliver), play the board game Wingspan, and eat good food. My wife and I conducted a "Taco Tour" of Azusa last year to find the best taco in town, and determined Pepe's was the best!

7. Anything else you would like the STEM community to know about you?

I love talking science with anyone who is interested, so feel free to stop by or email if you have any questions!