If you browsed the homepage, its pretty obvious that I am passionate about both science and education. There are a few other things that define me on a more personal level.
I’m a father to 2 amazing and beautiful children, Danny & Amalya, who were born right as I was starting my Ph.D. They are the center of my world and the source of my motivation in striving to be the best version of myself. Although I try to pass knowledge to them as often as I can, I also learn a lot from them everyday.
Here is me with Danny and Amalya at the top of Prospect Mountain in Lake George. It was their first real hike and they did great! My family loves the outdoors and we go camping in the Lake George area often.
I love skiing, and I’ve convinced my wife and children to love it too! Sugarbush Resort in Vermont is our home mountain and will always be a special place to me. I grew up skiing there every year with family and close friends, and continue the tradition today. Skiing has taken me all over the world and to some of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. From the Green Mountains of Vermont, to the Rockies, Grand Tetons, and Wasatch mountains out west, the Chugach Mountains in Alaska, and the beautiful French Alps in Chamonix, I hope to visit and ski as many places as I can.
It took me almost 7 years, but I finally got my entire family on a ski lift together, and I’m confident it will happen many more times!
In 2015, I decided to make some changes in an effort to be happier and healthier. This led me to training for my first triathlon, an olympic distance tri in Montauk, Long Island. I quickly saw the mental and physical health benefits this hobby provided for me, and I have continued to train and compete in races ever since. I even convinced my Dad and older brother to give it a tri (oops, I mean try)! Here is a picture of me before the start of a Half Ironman race in Maryland. Mari was 6 months pregnant with Danny and Amalya at the time, but was still there to support me. Completing a full Ironman is something I hope to achieve at some point.
And last but certainly not least, my other (and better half), my best friend, and partner in life, Mari. We met at the middle school we both started our teaching careers in, and our classrooms were directly across the hall from each other. Mari teaches music, and would often teach with her door open. I would often complain to her about how loud the horns sounded blasting out of her classroom. Somehow, we ended up getting along though. And a few years later…
