Hi! I'm Derrick.

I grew up on the east coast of the United States, and now I live in beautiful northern California with my fiancee. I'm a graduate student pursuing a PhD in physics and a reserve officer in the US Navy.

I prefer dogs over cats, tea over coffee, and rational inquiry over superstition.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I travel for work, but never with people in my peer group. I'm looking for interesting, diverse people to hang out with while I'm abroad.

Interests

SCIENCE

I'm pursuing a PhD in physics, so I do a lot of thinking about science and how to understand the world using the scientific method.

SPECULATIVE FICTION

I love reading and writing fantasy and science fiction. I'm a member of a writer's group and try to read a book a week.

COOKING

I like to cook, and I joke that my children will be confused about their ethnic heritage because of the different cultures I draw inspiration from. I like french cooking but am looking to diversify. My best dishes are creme brulee, coq au vin blanc, and caeser salad.

• cats
• dogs
• writing
• books
• cooking
• coffee
• reading
• traveling
• drawing
• physics
• science

Music, Movies, and Books

MUSIC

Silversun Pickups, Kendrick Lamar, Muse, Meek Mill, Glitch Mob, Kesha, Taylor Swift

MOVIES

Platoon, pretty much any Marvel movie, Serenity, Christopher Nolan's Batman movies

BOOKS

Dune and Tigana are my favorite science fiction and fantasy novels, respectively. Other authors I admire include Robert Jordan, Roger Zelazny, Lois McMasters Bujold, C.S. Friedman, George R. R. Martin, J. R. R. Tolkien, Richard K. Morgan.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Backpacked through the wilderness of the southwest USA for two weeks.

Countries I’ve Visited

Mexico, Russian Federation, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States