Where did you grow up, and do you have a favorite childhood memory?
I grew up in northwest Oklahoma City, but spent a significant portion of my teenage years on our family farm in Tipton, Okla. This gave me a unique opportunity to experience the best of Oklahoma through big-city energy and small-town charm. My favorite childhood memory brings me full circle: attending a summer camp at what was then called Omniplex at Kirkpatrick Center. I found a place with everything I loved from animals and biology all the way to wild weather. One of the most vivid memories was going behind the scenes to see how exhibits came to life! It was absolute magic. Little did I know I was catching a glimpse of a future career.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
Oh, it was always a scientist in some fashion, all the way. No question. That summer camp lit the fuse, and great science teachers along the way fanned the flame. These experiences led to getting my degree in physics from Oklahoma State University. Though I joke that it took me getting a degree in physics to realize I should have been a chemist.
What are you most passionate about professionally?
I am energized by creating environments that encourage curiosity and give people of all ages permission to explore. Sometime people need an okay or a nudge to be silly and make mistakes which leads to understanding. Fundamentally, creating a place where science, art and culture are alive, social, and relevant, not static or academic. Ask juicier questions. Resist the urge to sort everything into tidy boxes. The world rewards the curious.
Has your definition of success changed as you’ve developed your career?
Absolutely. It’s easy to feel like it’s all about proving yourself early in your career. Over time, I’ve come to understand that the most meaningful accomplishments come through collaboration and bringing out the best in each other. Success isn’t a solo act. Its lasting impact built through community, shared vision and a support system that will last far beyond you.
What is a perfect day for you?
I am genuinely lucky to do work I love, in a place I love. A perfect day for me isn’t found on a beach. It is one spent exploring alongside our museum guests, watching science unfold in real time. Transforming from “How does that work?” to “What happens if I try this?” to “I notice that…” That progression from passive wonder to active inquiry is joyful.
A perfect day is helping someone else feel that spark of wonder and awe I felt as a young camper here all those years ago.
What is some of the best advice you’ve received in your life?
Fail boldly. Learn something, try again, learn more. Repeat.
What is No. 1 on your bucket list?
I’d like to formally address this to my friend Dwight at the Oklahoma City Zoo: when the time comes, I want to meet a penguin. Up close. Personally. I recognize this may sound underwhelming for a bucket list top slot, but I stand by it. Those waddling, chaotic little creatures have captured my heart, and I’ve always wanted to make one’s acquaintance. Some people feel this way about sloths. I respect that. For me, it has always been penguins.
Winning a Nobel Prize is also on the list, but if I’m being statistically honest with myself, I like the penguin odds better.
Oklahoma has had an amazing sports history, which has featured a lineup of individuals such as Mickey Mantle, Shannon Miller, Jim Thorpe, Patty Gasso, etc. Did you have any sports heroes growing up?
All amazing candidates. But did I mention I’m a physicist? Stereotypically not known for our deep connection to sports, but 10,000% go Thunder!
How would you like to be remembered?
As I get older this question moves closer and closer to the forefront of my mind. I hope to be remembered as someone who brought science alive and community together. Building spaces where everyone leaves more curious, more connected and more confident in their place in the world.
What is one question I haven’t asked you that you would like to answer?
What’s one thing you want people to know about science? That science isn’t a “thing,” it’s a process, it’s many things and how they interact. For example, the misconception of being a “science” person or an “art” person. It’s the interconnectivity of art and science that help us better understand the world. Painters understand the chemistry and pigments and physics of light without even thinking twice. Some of the most complex physics are found at a ballet. A symphony is applied mathematics you can feel in your chest. Our world is incredibly complex and we are all scientists. We are all artists. Compartmentalizing those identities does not just limit understanding, it misrepresents it.