Education
PhD, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, Biological and Agricultural Engineering
BS, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Biosystems Engineering
- What excites you the most about this position?
What excites me the most about this new position is the opportunity to pursue questions about the dynamics of our environment, whether it be agriculture, ecology, or water resources. Being a professor at UT has provided me with opportunities to discover new knowledge about our world, solve real-world problems that people are facing, create actionable solutions to grand challenges, and teach others about our fascinating world. Ever since I was an undergraduate student in the Herbert College of Agriculture, it has been my dream to come back and be a professor here. Now I feel like I am living my dream by having the most rewarding job at the one place I wanted to work the most.
- What sparked your interest in the Department of Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science?
My love for the outdoors and my interest in environmental discovery is what led me to biosystems engineering, a discipline that allowed me to explore natural resources through a hands-on, interdisciplinary approach. As an undergraduate, the Department of Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science provided me with opportunities to learn about conservation and sustainability, scholarships that allowed me to focus on science and engineering, resources to conduct environmental research, and the friendly atmosphere that invited me to engage and ask questions. Now that I am a professor in this department, I can say that qualities about the department are still true.
- What are some of your interests outside of work?
My love for the outdoors and my interest in environmental discovery is what led me to biosystems engineering, a discipline that allowed me to explore natural resources through a hands-on, interdisciplinary approach.
