I'm a neuroscientist and science writer, living in Oakland, CA, across the bay from my hometown of San Francisco. I recently finished my Ph.D in neuroscience at UC Berkeley, where I studied regeneration in the nose. I used to teach math and neuroscience at San Quentin State Prison, and I currently design science magazines for kids. I'm hoping to make a career as a science journalist in the coming years. Ask me about GMOs or the brain, or give me a hug while we talk about climate change.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Though I rarely travel in places where people live (I typically end up in the wilderness here in California), I'm visiting Europe this summer with my wife, and I'm hoping to meet some like-minded, adventurous people as we travel between Germany and Austria for the first time.

Interests

• cooking
• music
• metal music
• cycling
• backpacking
• rock climbing
• neuroscience

Music, Movies, and Books

Jazz to blues to prog rock to neo soul to heavy metal (think Bela Fleck, Led Zeppelin, the Mars Volta, Little Dragon, Gojira)

Currently reading Snowcrash by Neal Stephenson

I don't watch many movies, though I end up watching lots of nature documentaries on Netflix

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I led a sheep brain dissection with 8 prison inmates (my students) inside San Quentin State Prison, to cap off the neuroscience course I had led that semester. Each student got to dissect half of a brain. We used plastic picnic knives, because metal knives were not allowed. I will never forget it.

Teach, Learn, Share

Let's talk about science! Politics! Climate change! Deserts, mountains, and forests! Always down for a good chat over some beer or food.

Countries I’ve Visited

Bangladesh, Cuba, Hong Kong, Israel, Netherlands, Poland

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States