I am an observational astronomer and instrumentalist with an interest in the physics of mass accretion, particularly in accretion disks.  My research focuses primarily on the structure and behavior of accretion disks and outflows in compact binary systems.  My instrumentation work includes commissioning and verification of far-ultraviolet space instrumentation and the development and commissioning of optical and near-infrared imagers and spectrographs for ground-based astronomy.

•  CV
•  My dissertation, "The Near-Infrared Properties of Compact Binary Systems"  (gzipped postscript file)

•  Chapter 1: Introduction
•  Chapter 2: Modeling the Near-Infrared Light Curves of Cataclysmic Variables: IP Pegasi
•  Chapter 3: Modeling the Near-Infrared Light Curves of Cataclysmic Variables: RW Trianguli
•  Chapter 4: Modeling the Near-Infrared Light Curves of Cataclysmic Variables: SW Sextantis
•  Chapter 5: The Near-Infrared Light Curves of the Black Hole Binary A0620--00
•  Chapter 6: Near-Infrared Spectroscopy of Compact Binary Systems: Preliminary Spectra of SS 433 and CI Cam
•  Appendix A: Near-Infrared Imaging at McDonald Observatory: IRC2
•  Appendix B: Near-Infrared Spectroscopy at McDonald Observatory: CoolSpec
•  Bibliography

• Ph.D in Astronomy, University of Texas at Austin, 1999
• M.A. in Astronomy, University of Texas at Austin, 1996
• B.S. in Electrical Engineering with High Honors,  University of Texas at Austin, 1993