Luke is from Raleigh, North Carolina. He attended Appalachian State University, where he worked in the lab of Dr. Brooke Christian, studying a protein from tardigrades that can stabilize other proteins from heat-induced denaturation. After graduating with a B.S. in chemistry, Luke became a graduate student at UNC in 2025. That Fall, he joined the Waters lab. In his free time, Luke enjoys obstacle course racing and the outdoors.