He received a bachelor's degree in Botany from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1970) and a bachelor's degree in Zoology from the University of Washington (1976). In 1982 he received a Ph.D. in Zoology from Duke University. Since 1984 he has taught in the introductory biology program at Duke, where he is currently the director of the introductory courses. He also teaches in the university writing program and conducts workshops on ways to teach effective writing. His research interests are in evolutionary ecology, especially pollination systems and plant reproductive biology.