| What is your most memorable childhood experience? | I grew up camping. When I was six, my parents took me on a cross-country road trip. We spent every night in a small orange pup tent. I remember the night we stayed in Yellowstone National Park. Earlier in the day a ranger told us stories about how a stampede of buffalo had once tromped through the camp and trampled several families asleep in their tents. If that wasn't enough to scare a six year-old, that night there was a huge storm. I remember sitting up with my parents in the night, staring out of our orange tent and watching my first hailstorm. Since that time the outdoors has always been important to me. Another major event in my childhood was my trip to Philmont Scout Ranch for my first extended hiking expedition. I spent two weeks away from my parents and hiked close to a hundred miles with my scout troop. It was on that trip that I met a ranger who had recently returned from the Appalachian Trail. I decided then that I wanted to hike it myself. It was several years before I got the chance, but when I turned nineteen I hiked over two thousand miles from Georgia to Maine during my summer off from school and completed the entire Appalachian Trail. |
| What immediate family member do you closely identify with and why? | My father has had a significant influence on my life. He has never been a typical father. He was and continues to be notoriously cheap. When I was young, my father told me he was going to take me to a store where he would buy me anything that I wanted. I asked him, "Even if it costs a hundred dollars?" (that was the largest sum I could imagine at that age). He said, "Yes, even if it costs a hundred dollars." The store he took me to was the Dollar Store. I actually cried I was so disappointed, but looking back it was really a funny thing to do. Now, I too have a preference for simple things, and money has never been a major concern for me, even when I haven't had a lot. My father is also self-reliant and good with his hands. He is the first person I call for advice when something breaks on my car, and I always try to fix it myself before taking it to a mechanic. With my father's help, I usually succeed. My father never put pressure on me in school. Actually, whenever I brought home my report card he would tell me that I should try to get more C's. He told me I was working too hard. I didn't take his advice on that one, but I have always made sure that I have enjoyed what I'm doing. I chose my career path because it is something that I am passionate about, and I also continue to make sure that I have plenty of time for my family, my friends, and for traveling. |
| What character traits do you admire in an individual? | I admire creative thinkers. Growing up I was an only child, so I gravitated towards strong friendships with people who I identified with. Many of my friends have gone on to successful careers in music, writing, acting, and science. I have been fortunate to be among a community of friends who were highly motivated, had diverse interests, and challenged each other to succeed in our own independent fields. Now these friends are spread across the country, but we still remain in close contact and visit each other often. Outside of friends, I admire people who are devoted to their passions, no matter how big or how small. I have had the opportunity to meet and now work with some of my "heroes," and I've found most of them to be humble yet to still express excitement about their work and the work of others. I hope I can retain the same amount of excitement throughout my life, and I hope to continue to add friends always. |
| What is the funniest thing ever to happen to you? | On a summer vacation during grad school, I travelled through Estonia with a close friend. We stayed at a small bed and breakfast on the coast of the Baltic Sea. There was an older woman who ran the place, and she told us we were the first Americans she had seen. The next morning my friend and I went to the dining room for breakfast, and this woman started bringing out an immense spread of food––rye bread with local honey, boiled eggs, porridge, cheeses and vegetables, baked pastries, and more. The woman left us, and my friend and I started eating as much of the food as possible because we didn't want to offend her. After twenty minutes or so we were completely stuffed, but we had been able to consume most of the food she brought us. It was at that moment that the woman returned, and she came back with more guests! The woman shrieked, "Oh no! You have eaten all the food!" It turns out it wasn't all for us, and she had never suspected that we would try to eat it all. It was especially funny because we were the first Americans she had met, and we completely confirmed the stereotype that Americans eat like pigs. The woman had to make a whole separate breakfast for the other guests, and we got out of there as fast as we could. |
| If time and money were not an issue, where would you travel and why? | Space. Private space travel is now a possibility, and the prices are already somewhat reasonable (i.e. you don't have to be a millionaire). I think looking back on Earth from the vantage of space would provide a perspective that could not be gained elsewhere. Aside from space, I have already traveled a lot. I usually travel to places off the beaten path or to countries that few others visit. I have seen the aurora borealis in the far north, I have worked in tropical rainforests on multiple continents, I have driven thousands of miles throughout Mexico and Central America, and I have visited ancient temples in India. For my next vacation, though, I think I would like to visit France to see the Tour de France or travel through Japan. Those are at the top of my list. |
| When and if you ever have children, what would you like to pass on to them? | Above all else, I would like to raise my children to be independent thinkers. That means they may not always choose the path that I desire for them, but they will follow the path they believe is best for them. With that being said, I would also like to expose my children to the outdoors, which is something that has had a huge impact on my life. I hope it is something that they can return to throughout their lives to clear their minds and re-experience fond memories. Finally, I want to pass on good musical tastes. My parents had horrible tastes in music, and it took me years on my own before I discovered Bob Dylan or the Rolling Stones, not to mention David Bowie or punk rock. I won't force my kids to listen to all my old records, but I'll force them to listen to some of them. |
