He received his Ph.D. in astronomy from the Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii, in 1996. His current research primarily deals with observations of colliding galaxies and their associated phenomena (starbursts and active galactic nuclei). The study of these galaxies requires a multi-wavelength approach, which to date has included optical to mid-infrared imaging, as well as near-infrared and submillimeter spectroscopy. The observing facilities at which he carries out these programs are the Mauna Kea Observatories in Hawaii (University of Hawaii