Professor of Biology
![](https://brightspotcdn.byu.edu/dims4/default/50af02d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/486x619+0+0/resize/486x619!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fbrigham-young-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F7a%2Fe8%2F3794b8094a4688033ca94722d2e2%2Fhim.png)
Q: One fun or unique fact about me is...
A: I'm color blind and flat footed.
Q: One word to describe neuroscience is...
A: Complex
Q: My favorite "fun fact" about the brain is...
A: Our habits actually result in physical changes to the brain. I attempt to break up the way I do routine tasks (e.g., brushing my teeth) to keep my brain guessing and learning.
Q: What do you like to do in your spare time when you're not teaching?
A: I love woodworking, watching movies and sports, and just about anything outside. My wife and I bought a cabin in Island Park a couple years ago, a dream we shared, and we love visiting to snowshoe or drive our side by side. Right now, however, I spend a lot my extra time driving my kids to their activities.
Q: What is your area of research?
A: In my laboratory, I focus on the genetics of Alzheimer’s disease and developing better computational approaches to understand genetic data.
Q: I have been teaching at BYU for...
A: 10 years.