How does the complexity of the world emerge from the elementary rules of physics? How can we use science to transform our world for the better? These questions have led me around the globe in my search for answers!

Born in Santa Cruz, raised nearby in the Garlic Capital of the world, Gilroy, I grew up roaming fields of hay and redwood shaded streams. A few chance encounters and a whim led me to Fairbanks, Alaska for my undergraduate education in physics, followed by a return to the familiar forests of Santa Cruz for my graduate education. There I fell in love with nanomagnets, microscopic mosaics of iron and nickel designed to do everything from answer questions about entropy to store and recall memories.I met myriad students and educators drawn to the redwoods, and together we broadened our perspective of the universe and our place in it. My journey continued to Finland and Los Alamos National Lab as I spent months and years refining our understanding of nanomagnets with peers. Returning to California once again, I now seek to answer these fundamental questions about the world with the students of the original High Tech High. I teach ninth grade physics and design projects where students deepen their understanding of the natural world and develop the skills to change their lives and communities.

Outside of my professional life, I write, explore, and garden. Find me in the fishbowl and ask me more about the details!