About

Although I was born in California, I grew up in Colorado and consider myself a native Coloradoan despite frequent moves to pursue education and work opportunities.  From elementary school I was inspired to learn more about space, and learned a lot from reading both fiction and non-fiction authored by Isaac Asimov and from my subscription to Astronomy magazine.

When I'm not doing research or teaching, I love exploring the outdoors with my family.  Hiking the mountains of Colorado holds a special place in my heart, and in the hearts of members of the older and younger members of my family.  The cool crisp air, the rustle of the leaves of the aspen trees and the sound of the wind through the pine, the babbling of the mountain creeks, and the magnificent landscape (especially in the autumn) are some of my favorite things.

I am also an animal lover, having spent most of my life with dogs, which really are members of the family.  While living in Indiana, my family developed an interest in our squirrel buster birdfeeder, where we saw all types of birds come to visit us, ranging from cardinals, to blue jays, to American goldfinches, to woodpeckers.  Studying the natural world is both a profession and a hobby for me.