I earned my PhD in Chemistry from Kansas State University in 1987 under the guidance of Professor Kenneth G. Kay. This was followed by two years of post-doctoral training at University of Texas in Austin with Professor Robert E. Wyatt. I have been at Louisiana Tech University since 1989. I have taught general chemistry and physical chemistry courses at the undergraduate level and quantum mechanics and chemical thermodynamics at the graduate level. I have served in various administrative positions in the College of Engineering & Science until 2017, when I was appointed as the Associate Vice President for Research and Dean of the Graduate School.

In spite of the administrative obligations, I try to maintain an active research program with collaborators and graduate students. I am a computational chemist, which means I use powerful computers to understand the properties of molecules, clusters of atoms, and bulk materials. My current interests include the study of small metal and metal oxide clusters and interfaces between metal and ceramic materials.