CURRENT MISSION

See things, do things, taste things, maybe even create things.

ABOUT ME

I grew up in a small town in central Washington; close to the mountains. The instant I could move away, I did. I moved to the land of aerospace, coffee, and hipsters. I moved to Seattle. I love Seattle for all it has to offer. A nice cup of artisan coffee on a rainy day. Hip, indie music and events to attend. Delicious food from all over the world (sushi is especially amazing). There's no place like home.

I was good at mathematics and physics, so I decided studying engineering would be fun. I have always liked space and astronomy, so I became an aerospace engineer. After studying, I held a few engineering jobs, including one in Boston, and another one making small rockets for satellites and launch vehicles.

Then I heard about a special study abroad program in France. A program so special, that it is the only one of its kind offered in the world. I decided I had to take the chance and apply. As luck would have it, I was accepted. I am now enrolled in the International Masters of Turbulence program. I am currently in my second year.

While studying in Lille, France, I also took the opportunity to travel the surrounding area. I have loved every second of it. I think I have caught a serious case of the travel bug. I am now in Poitiers and am continuing to pretend to know what I'm doing. Also traveling.

PHILOSOPHY

Try to leave the world a little better than when you came in.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Surfing.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Beginner status.

Interests

Science
Technology
Space
Philosophy
Art
Cartoons
Movies
Music
Traveling
Food
Coffee
Tea
Beer
Wine
Snow
Beaches
Mountains
People
Thinking big thoughts
Thinking small thoughts

• arts
• dining
• wine
• beer
• coffee
• instructor
• technology
• cartoons
• movies
• traveling
• cars
• music
• surfing
• skydiving
• astronomy
• engineering
• mathematics
• physics
• science
• study abroad
• beaches
• mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

28 Days Later
Primer
Eraserhead
Abre Los Ojos
The Science of Sleep
Children of Men
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou

Björk
At the Drive In
Bloc Party
Death Cab for Cutie
DeVotchKa
Explosions in the Sky
Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Modest Mouse
Mono
Radiohead
Sigur Rós
The Smiths
We Were Promised Jetpacks

One Hundred Years of Solitude
House of Leaves
The Eternal Husband
The Little Prince

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I have seen been skydiving.

It was my first time, so there was a professional strapped to my back that did most of the work. I went with a group of friend and we all rode the plane together. I saw a few friends jump before me and essentially disappear into a sea of blue. Finally it was my turn to go. The instructor and I edge up to the airplane door, with our legs hanging. I can see the ground below, a long way down. My heart is beating like crazy. I was expecting some kind of countdown to prepare myself. No such luck. Without any warning at all, we jump. I have no time to be scared. Next thing I know, we are falling. Well, not so much falling as floating. It was the most amazing experience I have ever had. Even though I am falling toward the Earth at several kilometers per hour, I am not afraid. A strange sense of peace overwhelms me as I am floating and gazing at the beautiful view. Before I know it, the parachute has deployed and we are floating ever so gently to the ground. A few more minutes pass and we make a nice soft landing. I highly recommend skydiving!

Teach, Learn, Share

Turbulence is a hard problem that no one has been able to solve. Some of the world's most brilliant minds (Einstein, Heisenberg, Feynman) have worked on turbulence but have not completely solved the problem. Even though turbulence is not understood very well, it is very important for things like aerospace, transportation, energy, weather, and even medical applications. I am currently studying what little we know about turbulence. Wish me luck!

I would like to learn about different people from different places around the world. Maybe we have a few small differences or we do things a little differently, but I bet we are all pretty much the same. I want to discover the uniqueness of people and celebrate!

Countries I’ve Visited

Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

France, United States