I am a graduate of the University of Missouri at Columbia, where I earned first my Bachelor's and then (some time later) Master's of Science in Mathematics with an emphasis on physics and the theory of computation. The latter degree was a necessary precursor to my next career where my workplace was the classroom: I don't believe in the importance of education because I teach; I became a teacher because I believe in the importance of education. This I passionately believe; doubly so in matters where a certain fluency in the language of numbers is demanded.

I attend a lot of theatre shows, possibly because my partner is a professional theater editor and critic. I also love music and the history of music, though I tend to be a bit choosy these days when it comes to attending live performances. I engage in low-level political activism from time to time, e.g., door-to-door canvassing, writing Get Out the Vote postcards, election worker, etc., but I regard political engagement as every citizen's duty as opposed to something they only do as a hobby. I also enjoy putting together interactive demonstrations on various topics, as it has been my experience that most people are visual learners when it comes to science and mathematics. I am interested in the history and architecture of Chicago where I currently reside. Finally, we love our two cats Sonny Boy and Fozzie Bear aka Mr. Murderbritches and spend quite a bit of time pampering them outrageously.