Author's Biography

    So, you clicked on "Author's Biography", I guess you want to know more about me.  Normally, I'd agree that this is wasted space on the website, I mean why do you care about me?  Then I realized that I've helped many people with this website and best of all, I do it voluntarily and completely for free.  Sometimes I get personal questions too, so let me tell you a little about myself. 
    The beautiful woman beside me is Samantha.  Samantha and I have been together for 2 years and she has already moved with me 3 times.  She works as a critical care nurse and will be furthering her education soon in her quest to become a nurse anesthetist.  If you're wondering, she is indeed the most patient woman in the world! 
    The two fuzzy things below are our miniature dachshunds, Devan and Dominic.  Devan (on the left) is angelic while Dominic is always looking for something to get into, as seen in the photo.  Currently, and hopefully permanently, we all reside in Richmond, Virginia along the eastern seaboard of the United States.

    Rewinding a bit, I was born on Thanksgiving Day in 1974 in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.  I planned on being a computer scientist until I studied it for 2 months and realized that it wasn't for me.   So, I found myself wandering the campus of West Virginia University trying to make a decision about my future.  I stopped by the Engineering Sciences building and looked at the directory on the main floor.  I saw "Mechanical Engineering", "Civil Engineering", and others.  Then I came across "Chemical Engineering"...my first thought was, "that sounds interesting!"  I made my way to the fourth floor and looked for a professor to talk to. That's when I met Dr. Joseph Shaeiwitz...after 10 minutes of discussing the science with him, I knew that I was going to be a chemical engineer.
    My stay at West Virginia University was one of the greatest times of my life.  I made friends for life (as most people do) and learned more than I ever thought possible.  I instantly fell in love with the science.  It gave me the ability to do so many things with my life.  Some people were simply looking for a degree that would get them a good job.  While that was important to me as well, I was even more interested in the way chemical engineering trained my mind.  I could suddenly see things clearly and understood the principals that explain nature.  I was like a sponge, I wanted to know more about everything.  All of my professors would agree...I'm sure they'll all remember me for one defining characteristic...QUESTIONS!   One professor told me that if I had as many answers as I did questions, I'd be a genius.  I sure wish I did!

     My love for the science was accompanied by classmates who knew how to have fun while enduring the long hours of studying.  This photo was taken during our final Unit Operations Laboratory presentations.  Two of my classmates decided to dress up as a pimp and a hooker!   I had to get into this picture!  The really funny thing was that not all of the professors knew why this so funny due to their cultural differences, but everyone still had a good time!  That's a large part of studying engineering ....laughter relaxes the mind.
    So it's easy to understand why I've dedicated myself to this website.   Simply put, I enjoy chemical engineering.  As is apparent by the site content, my favorite aspects include heat transfer, separation, alternate energy, and polymerization. 
    I must thank every single member of my family for their support during my college years, my high school years, and my high chair years.  I wouldn't be the person I am today without my family and their unconditional support in whatever I decided to.