What is your background?

I was born and raised in Davenport, Iowa. I completed both undergraduate and medical school education at Johns Hopkins University. In undergraduate, I majored in neuroscience and also played on the baseball team. In medical school I founded the Aerospace Medicine Interest Group and completed the NASA medical student clerkship, working with the team on Spaceflight Associated Neuro-Ocular Syndrome. I am now a PGY-4 neurosurgery resident at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida. I am drawn to the great unknowns of the universe which has led me to the intersection of the brain and space medicine.

What is your interest in aerospace medicine and surgery?

I believe extending life beyond Earth is the most important problem to solve and aim to contribute using my background in neuroscience, medicine, and surgery. I was invigorated by my past experiences in aerospace medicine including the NASA clerkship and am excited to further these experiences as an APEX fellow. I am particularly interested in understanding adaptations of the nervous system during spaceflight, including changes in intracranial pressure, and managing neurologic conditions and injuries. As the commercial space industry develops, I hope to provide expertise on procedural interventions and preparedness to enable deep space missions.  

What are your hobbies/interests outside of medicine?

Outside of medicine, I enjoy any outdoor physical activity or sport, playing music including piano and guitar, growing an exotic fruit garden in Florida, and finding new adventures with my wife and dog. 

What is your background?

I graduated Summa Cum Laude with a BS in Cellular and Molecular Biology from Bradley University in Peoria, IL. I obtained my MD from University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria in 2018. I graduated first in my medical school class with honors and was inducted into Alpha Omega Alpha my M3 year. I completed an Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery residency at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, WI in 2023. 

What is your interest in aerospace medicine and surgery?

I have been interested in space and space exploration since I was a child. Regarding Aerospace Medicine and Surgery, I am particularly interested in establishing a "new normal" for human physiology in extended duration space missions and how humans adapt both in the short term and long term to microgravity environments. Additionally, as space is a low resource environment by definition, I am interested in honing medical skills and adapting procedures for austere environments; reducing waste and using ingenuity to overcome resource limitations. Finally, I want to bring feasible surgical and procedural care to the space environment, as this will be required if humans are to leave Earth permanently. 

What are your hobbies/interests outside of medicine?

I earned my private pilot certificate in 2021 and enjoy flying around the countryside in my free time. I also enjoy video games and virtual reality, hiking, camping, and Renaissance Faires.