Assistant Professor Biography About me I grew up on the water and have always enjoyed being outside and exploring nature. Through higher education, I came to love scientific widgets, specifically building them and making them perform in new ways to explore the chemical diversity of the natural world. My lab maintains a suite of instruments to gain physical insights into gas-phase chemistry, measure molecular distributions in the environment, and monitor water quality. Even now, I still enjoy getting wet and muddy to do science and learn. Personal philosophy Chemistry is the native language of life. My scholarship, instruction, and service all seek to break down perceived barriers between disciplines and provide unique experiences for individuals to learn and grow in understanding. These efforts are increasingly focused on the development of technologies and measurement of chemical signatures that can provide insights into the environment and our place therein. Education Education: B.S. in Chemistry - Mississippi State University, 2001 Ph.D in Chemistry - University of Georgia, 2011 Post-doc: Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, PNNL, 2012 Research Research Areas: Physical Chemistry Environmental/Atmospheric Chemistry Research Interests: My current interests are divided between laboratory and field-based inquiries. In-lab: the elucidation of gas-phase ion fragmentation pathways for complex plant polysaccharides. exploration of ion population dynamics in trapped-ion mass spectrometers development of data-acquisition strategies for legacy spectrometer systems to extend the usable lifetime and reduce the introduction of serviceable units into waste streams. development of educational strategies to elevate interest in chemical instrument design and fabrication Field: application and development of sensor arrays to measure water quality in urban streams and inform policy decisions measurement of dissolved organic carbon dynamics in urban settings and aquatic ecosystems development of fieldable technologies to reveal temporal molecular-sediment interactions development of strategies to engage students and citizens in water resources research Of note: Become a STREAM DAWG! Team recruitment is ongoing until 1 June 2026.
