Quick Facts
Grew up
San Diego, CA
Teaching Areas of Interest
Biology, Vertebrate Biology and Herpetology
Research Areas of Interest
Herpetology (the study of amphibians and reptiles), Physiology, Behavior, Ecology, and Evolution
One thing that inspires me to do my research is...
the excitement of discovery and sharing new knowledge.
How has your personal background influenced your work at CSUN?
I think growing up in a single-parent home with a very modest income in Southern California has made it easier for me to appreciate the experiences of many of our students.
“When I am grading, I make sure I... am not too tired or grumpy.”
What is your educational history?
San Diego State University
University of Nevada, Reno
Carnegie Museum of Natural History
Why do you like to work here?
I like working at CSUN for several reasons:
(1) Climate (weather): you can't beat So Cal, and I grew up here, so it is familiar/comfortable.
(2) Climate (intellectual/political): I've lived other places and I (mostly) like the way Californian's think.
(3) People: I enjoy spending time with my colleagues in my department and across campus.
(4) Students (classroom): the students keep me striving to stay abreast of the latest findings in my discipline and in finding creative ways to keep them engaged in the shared process of learning. Thus, I never stop learning.
(5) Students (research): I especially enjoy sharing the process of discovery with student researchers. I am particularly proud of the accomplishments of my grad students.
(6) Freedom: I can study pretty much anything I want to and divide my work time however I wish (so long as it all gets done).
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