B.S., Westmont College

Ph.D., University of California, Davis

My research program involves building and using novel instruments to study physical properties of biomolecules.

Research with Sound:
Acoustic Resonance Spectroscopy ARS
This project uses sound to generate an acoustic signature that is used to study the percent of milk fat present in samples of milk.  Currently, we are developing a prototype inline spectrometer which may be used at dairies to determine milk fat concentrations in real time.

Research with Light:
Thermal Lens Spectroscopy TLS

This project uses diode lasers to study thermal properties of insulin hexamers in solution.  Currently, we are characterizing and developing a thermal lens spectrometer by studying beam characteristic and optimizing the optical bench.  We are also developing a graphic user interface that will control and automate the data collection.

Student Skills Gained in my Laboratory
Students are exposed to: building and using ARS and TLS prototypes, data analysis with Mathematica, developing graphic user interfaces with LabView,  and presenting results at conferences.

If Interested, Inquire here…
These two projects represent my current interests. If you have an interest in the area of physical chemistry and/or would like to work on a different project please contact me to discuss your idea.