I’m an Associate Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Michigan State University.  My research focus is experimental particle astrophysics: the study of some of the highest energy particles in the Universe, with the twin goals of learning about the astrophysical environments that accelerate these particles and about the properties of the particles themselves.  I’m a member of the IceCube and HAWC collaborations, two large international groups of physicists who are building and operating experiments to detect these particles.

My work in particle astrophysics began as a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin.  My thesis research, conducted with Francis Halzen, provided the first conclusive detection of atmospheric muon neutrinos with AMANDA, the Antarctic Muon and Neutrino Detector Array.  I traveled to the South Pole to work on AMANDA several times, although I haven’t been to Antarctica for several years.  I then spent a number of years working in TeV gamma ray astronomy, with the Milagro and HAWC observatories.  My current focus is on the IceCube Neutrino Observatory, the successor to AMANDA, and in particular the DeepCore and PINGU low energy extensions of IceCube.

In my teaching, I’m particularly interested in applying new types of physics pedagogy to introductory courses.  I also feel that participation in research is an important element of scientific education, and include undergraduates in my research whenever possible.