I'm a professor in the Biological Sciences Department at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) in San Luis Obispo, California.  I teach courses in genetics and botany. I advise students who want to become science teachers. My research focuses on the genetics of polyploid plants (i.e. I study mutant broccoli). 

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.