I'm a biology researcher and teacher at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. My research focuses on the genetics of rice plants. Before moving to Milwaukee, I was a professor in the Biological Sciences Department at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) in San Luis Obispo, California.

My family subscribed to The New Yorker when I was young and I became familiar with single-panel cartoons.  My favorite cartoonists are George Booth and Roz Chast.  (I'm still a New Yorker subscriber and look forward to a new batch of cartoons each week.)

My earliest cartoon influence was Peanuts and Charles Schultz.  My childhood Peanuts collection included 152 books...mostly purchased at library sales and garage sales.  Here's the peanuts cartoon that was published on my birthday in 1969.