I grew up on a farm in a small community in Michigan with my church was partially built on land our family had donated years before I was born. I also attend school there with only one other classmate until high school. While I was very interested in being a pastor, I felt strongly called towards something else. I liked math and science so went to Western Michigan University for engineering...at this point I learned there was different kinds of engineers. I picked mechanical because it sounded generic with the goal of graduating as fast as possible and then getting a job. My junior year I was introduced to research and knew this was what I wanted to do for my career. So after graduation I transferred to the University of Michigan to get more exposure to research opportunities.
During my MS I struggled and really thought I was not cutout for this work. I prayed frequently asking for direction from God because I was pretty sure I had made a misstep going to grad school. While on a run praying about this I got one of the clearest answers to prayer in my life and the answer was to become a professor! This seemed insane because I knew that meant getting a PhD...something that seemed impossible at that moment.
In spite of my belief that I was not good enough for a PhD, I started pursuing one. To my surprise, getting a PhD was so much easier to me than getting a MS. The open ended work and the pursuing of questions that currently didn't have answers is exactly what I love...it was almost like I was designed to do this kind of work.
Shortly after graduating with my PhD, I married my wife and we moved to Penn State as a research associate. I worked there for 3 years before accepting an assistant professor position at Oklahoma State University. Since moving here we have found a great community of believers, have had 2 children, and continue to grow in our faith. I am thankful for the direction I was given because I know I would never had considered the career path I took if it wasn't for God's direction .
People are generally better persuaded by the reasons which they have themselves discovered than by those which have come into the mind of others. – Blaise Pascal
basketball, playing with my kids, walking in nature
My undergrad alma mater
Western Michigan University
My worst subject in school
infrasound (sounds at frequencies below human hearing), drag reduction techniques for ships/helicopter/etc, atmospheric turbulence
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