I grew up in Humboldt County, California, a beautiful rural area of northern California in heart of the redwoods. After high school, I spent a year as a Rotary exchange student in Grenoble, France, a beautiful town in the middle of the French Alps. I returned to the U.S. to attend Caltech (the California Institute of Technology) in Pasadena, California, where I obtained a degree in planetary science. I next found myself in London, England, first as an exchange student and then again for six months after graduation. After a brief stint in Washington, D.C. exploring the world of science policy, I headed to Cambridge, Massachusetts to complete my PhD in atmospheric chemistry at Harvard University.
I moved to Australia in 2012, and spent more than a decade living in the beautiful coastal city of Wollongong, NSW (80 km south of Sydney). I initially moved for a postdoctoral position and then transitioned into an academic teaching and research role at the University of Wollongong. I also spent 3.5 years as an Associate Dean (Equity, Diversity and Inclusion) at the University of Wollongong. In 2024, I adventured into government, spending a year as an Australian Science Policy Fellow working for the Commonwealth (federal) Department of Industry, Science and Resources.
I now live in the beautiful tropical city of Townsville, Queensland (80 km south of Sydney). Fun fact: at 19°S, Townsville is closer to the equator than Honolulu! I am a Professor of Environmental Science and Associate Dean Learning and Teaching for the College of Science and Engineering at James Cook University. Outside of work, I am most likely to be found training for triathlons, scuba diving, hiking, exploring Australia, and discovering new places.
