I was born in La Jolla, CA in 1957 and have been on a journey ever since that took me from my roots in southern California to my current home in the great northwest. I am truly blessed to married to the love of my life and best friend Theo who gave me two wonderful sons Sean and Ryan. I was further blessed when daughter-in-law Carlie joined the family when she married Sean. Of course the family would not be complete without Zoie…our lovable bounding 80 lbs female labrador retriever…..who has no clue that she is actually a dog.
I received a BS degree in biological sciences from Biola University in 1979, an MS degree in ecology from San Diego State University in 1982, and my Ph.D. from the University of California, Davis in 1989. I joined the Faculty of George Fox Universityin 1989 and have been there ever since. In addition to teaching my courses I conduct research in the field of physiological ecology (how animals respond physiologically to their environment). My current research projects have includes various studies of hummingbirds, red-sided garter snakes, and rough-skinned newts! This I am starting a project on laying hens (my first agricultural project)! Most of my work is done in the field where my travels have taken me to locations that include southeastern Arizona, Missoula Montana, and Manitoba Canada. This year I will add Ontario Canada to the list!
When I am not spending time with the family or working I enjoy sports, watching birds, fiddling with technology, and tasting and understanding wines from all over the world. As I add content to this page over time I will share in more detail information relating to my nonprofessional interests.
If you are interested in my more serious blog feel free to visit “Random Thoughts from the Willamette Valley” where I actually tend to think a little when the spirit moves me. I hope you enjoy my from time-to-time offerings.
Cheers