As a theoretical scientist, my primary job is to develop new knowledge
using my analytical and computational training.  I apply mathematical
techniques from nonlinear dynamics and chaos to study problems in the
physical, engineering, biological, and social sciences.  My education as
an applied mathematician, which began at Caltech, has allowed me to work
on such diverse problems as Bose-Einstein condensation, molecular
vibrations, pattern formation in granular media, ranking college football
teams, congressional networks, mood swings in bipolar individuals, and
many other topics.  There is no restriction to the types of problems that
my students and I can investigate.

My secondary function is as an educator of future generatiuons of
scientists.  Although I am very early in my career, I have advised several
undergraduate research projects and taught courses.  Both my mentoring
style and my teaching style have been influenced substantially by the
professors I had at Caltech.  I am still in contact with several of these
professors, and I see many others at conferences.  Caltech takes care of
their own, and these connections (and those I made by finding out that a
fellow researcher is also a Caltech alum) have proven invaluable on
several occasions.