Associate Professor Chemistry, STEM
I'm a native of Indiana (a big Indianapolis Colts and Indiana Pacers fan), but moved to Poughkeepsie, Arkansas (30 miles north of Batesville) with my parents and two brothers immediately after high school. It was there that I grew to appreciate and eventually love the rural parts of the state, where the number of chickens and cattle outnumber people. I developed a passion for chemistry at Lyon College (B.S. ’04) and then went on to earn my Ph.D. in physical chemistry with a specialty in quantum and theoretical chemistry at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville (’09), which is what led me to also being a huge Razorbacks fan. During my time there, I studied and performed research under the direction of renowned theoretical chemist Dr. Peter Pulay (Distinguished Emeritus Professor). My wife, Caysie (who also works at NPC), and I met while serving in leadership at a campus ministry called Chi Alpha. We spent time volunteering and working for this ministry in Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Virginia as well as abroad on missions trips (Bolivia, Greece, Jamaica). After several years of working with this campus ministry, I returned to academia to pursue a full-time faculty position. I've taught chemistry, math, and physics (both lower and upper division courses) on various college campuses in Tulsa, OK., at NPC, and OBU (Ouachita Baptist University). I enjoy spending time in the gym strength training and the outdoors with Caysie and our two daughters, Kaylee and Kenzie. Camping, hiking, rock climbing, and kayaking are some of our favorite activities. Additionally, all four of us are very involved with our church family, Legacy Church, in Hot Springs.
