He first became interested in sleep, dreaming, and the science of consciousness while pursuing his graduate studies at the University of Texas at Austin. He stays busy in professional practice, research, and teaching. He is active in a number of professional societies and organizations, and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, Fellow of the Bexar County Psychological Association, and Treasurer of the San Antonio Society for Psychoanalytic Studies. He first joined the Board of Trustees of the Mind Science Foundation in 2001.