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About Me

I was born in Utah and raised in Austin, Texas. I graduated in 2002 from Harvard with my degree in "Chemistry and Physics;" I ended up taking a physics-oriented track within the major with some computer science on the side, but I have recently started coming back to chemistry. I chose Stanford for grad school thinking I was interested in optoelectronics, but my interests changed and I realized that biosensors was an even better fit for my eclectic background and interests (which span from physics to nanoscale science to biology to circuits). I am currently a fourth-year graduate student in Electrical Engineering at Stanford, having finished my MS in EE here and been formally accepted as a PhD candidate. My thesis project, which I'm just starting, involves creating a multiplex biosensing system (with electrical detection); the ultimate goal is to produce a system like a protein microarray but real-time and label-free. I enjoy backpacking and other outdoor activities, playing most sports, genealogy research, and spending time with my family.

I graduated from Westwood High School in Austin Texas in 1996 as a National Merit Scholar, AP National Scholar, and Eagle Scout. Between my first and second years at Harvard I served a two-year volunteer mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in west-central Brazil (Brasilia Brasil Mission, Aug.'97 - Aug. '99). I have completed summer internships at Motorola's PowerPC design center (circuit simulations to test high-level chip design approach), with Professor James Tour at Rice University (simulations of molecular computers), at IBM Almaden Research Center (characterizing thin films with x-ray diffraction), and at Palo Alto Research Center (formerly Xerox PARC) (two biosciences projects).

I am fortunate to be part of a large and loving family. I am the oldest of eight children. R is working on a PhD in neuroscience at Washington University in St. Louis, and does cool things studying nerves in fruit flies. S was recently married so M is my first sister-in-law, and she's a great addition to the family. S is in his first year of medical school at UNC-Chapel Hill, and M is working on a PhD in public health at UNC-Chapel Hill. B recently returned from a 2-year LDS mission to the Las Vegas West mission and is just returning to his studies at BYU; he's interested in chemical engineering. G is somewhat spoiled (although she'll deny it) as the only girl of the family, and recently was accepted to the BYU school of nursing. K is a junior in high school and very much enjoys ROTC, choir, and drama. C is a high school freshman (already!?) voracious reader, is always full of energy, and loves to play games of all varieties. N, the youngest, is a very tall and lovable 7th grader. My father is a chemist and works as a technical consultant specializing in steam boiler chemistry; he loves to teach his children all about the periodic table, painting, hanging wallpaper, fixing cars, gardening, etc. My mom has the 80 hours per week job of keeping up with all of us. She plays the piano and organ and enjoys reading books of all sorts, particularly about U.S. history.

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