About Me

Welcome! I am an associate professor of physics and the Department Chair in the Department of Physics & Astronomy at Siena College.

My broad research interests are in observational cosmology and astrophysics, with a focus on using the most powerful telescopes on earth and in space to understand how galaxies have formed and evolved (changed) in a 14 billion-year universe which is dominated by dark matter. I am also interested in dark energy, the mysterious cosmic phenomenon which is causing the expansion rate of the universe to accelerate.

In my research and I use computational and statistical techniques frequently used by data scientists, so this multidisciplinary and ever-changing field is of particular interest to me.

I teach a wide range of courses, including general (introductory) physics, classical mechanics, observational astronomy, and all the other lower- and upper-level astronomy and astrophysics courses we offer at Siena. I endeavor to use the most effective teaching methods informed by physics education research in my classes, and to create a positive and memorable learning environment.

If you are interested in finding out more please do not hesitate to contact me!