
Writer & Scientist
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Area

Writer & Scientist
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Area
I'm a writer and scientific consultant with interdisciplinary training, research experience, and teaching experience. I enjoy challenges.
XML, HTML, Adobe Acrobat, Photoshop, Corel Draw, photography, telescopy, light microscopy, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, other spectroscopies, chromatographies, SEM, STM, sputter-coating, chemical vapor deposition, laser protocols, electrophoresis, histological and microbiological techniques, genetic analysis, statistical analysis, cryogenics
(Public Company; 51-200 employees; NYT; Internet industry)
June 2001 — Present (8 years 2 months)
About.com's Guide to Chemistry. I write and edit content relating to general chemistry, demonstrations, crystals, science fair projects, elements, etc.
(Privately Held; 1-10 employees; Online Media industry)
August 2003 — December 2007 (4 years 5 months)
Wrote and edited original articles on alternative medicine, jewelrymaking, and chemistry. Responsible for advertising and promotion.
(Sole Proprietorship; Myself Only; Apparel & Fashion industry)
1999 — 2003 (4 years)
Designed, crafted, and marketed pearl, gemstone, and beaded jewelry.
(Public Company; 11-50 employees; Online Media industry)
2001 — 2003 (2 years)
• Reviewed submitted websites for inclusion in the open directory
• Mined the internet for new sites to add to the directory
• Annotated and edited links
(Educational Institution; 1001-5000 employees; Higher Education industry)
2000 — 2000 (less than a year)
Taught MCAT physics and biology. Advised students on test preparation, medical school interviewing, and applications.
(Privately Held; 51-200 employees; Higher Education industry)
1994 — 1998 (4 years)
• Taught lectures and labs for General Biology I & II (majors), Genetics, Microbiology, Parasitology, Invertebrate Zoology, Introductory Biology (non-majors), Field Biology, Embryology, Histology, Environmental Issues, Comparative Anatomy, Scientific Research
• Principal Investigator into effects of spaceflight/gravity on spiders and spider development
• Responsible for pre-prof and biology student advising (10 students/year); oversight of all pre-professional students (40 students/year)
• Active in college self-governance and campus activities
• Responsible for pre-medical, pre-veterinary, and pre-dentistry curriculum content and implementation, budget, hiring, and program evaluation
(Government Agency; 10,001 or more employees; Aviation & Aerospace industry)
1996 — 1996 (less than a year)
• Liaison between Florida A&M University and Kennedy Space Center/Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
• Responsible for advising and transporting 41 college students for intensive summer research program
• Specifically involved with student research on spaceflight hardware design (animal maintenance, bioreactors, nutrient delivery systems for controlled ecological life support systems)
• Co-Principal Investigator of effects of temperature/clinorotation on sea urchin embryogenesis and for development of gamete storage and in vitro fertilization protocols for zebrafish
(Public Company; 51-200 employees; Information Technology and Services industry)
1992 — 1995 (3 years)
• Prepared abstracts and indexed documents for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) under a contract with the Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI)
• Completed training for abstracting/indexing National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) database
• Abstracted/indexed U.S. and foreign documents in DOE disciplines including combustion, fluid dynamics, renewable energy sources, nuclear and fossil fuel power plants, meteorology/weather, chemistry, toxicology, mathematics, biology, metals/alloys, ceramics, composites, military technology, astronomy and astrophysics, plasma and high energy physics, optics, hydrotechnical engineering, environmental science, government policy, Congressional hearings
(Government Agency; 1001-5000 employees; Research industry)
1989 — 1992 (3 years)
• Integrated fiberoptics and laser technology for ultra-sensitive spectroscopic detection of several biologically-important substances including carcinogens, pesticides, and toxins
• Assigned specific genetic damage from aflatoxins, coal tar derivatives, and plastics monomers
• Examined samples from chemically-exposed humans and animals
• Experimental techniques included surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, synchronous fluorescence, capillary zone electrophoresis, scanning electron microscopy, room-temperature phosphorescence, immunological assays
(Government Agency; 1001-5000 employees; Research industry)
1988 — 1989 (1 year)
• Utilized recombinant DNA technology to synthesize a human DNA-repair enzyme
• Purified proteins for x-ray diffraction and neutron crystallography using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), ion-exchange chromatography, molecular sieves, centrifugation techniques, dialysis membranes, and other experimental methods
• Refined protein purification procedures
• Analyzed crystallography data from small molecules
• Performed DNA sequencing as part of the Human Genome Initiative
(Government Agency; 1001-5000 employees; Research industry)
1988 — 1988 (less than a year)
• Applied scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) to evaluate the characteristics of sputter-coated gold/palladium alloys
• Analyzed STM micrographs of thin metal films to quantify the change in metal island diameter as film thickness was increased
• Verified the STM results using transmission electron microscopy
(Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Ranching industry)
1987 — 1987 (less than a year)
• Wrote a customized software package to monitor and evaluate plant power consumption, minimize raw material costs, and regulate production
• Interfaced Loup Valley Alfalfa computers with those of the Burwell, NE power plant to coordinate residential and industrial power consumption
• Installed backup and fail-safe systems to protect corporate records
(Research industry)
1986 — 1986 (less than a year)
• Analyzed periodicity of variable stars in Sagittarius (focused on NSV11003) by telescopic observations and inspection of photographic plates from the years 1926-1986
• Determined that one of NSV11003's comparison stars was itself a variable star
• Operated and maintained the observatory's photographic telescopes
• Photographed stars and developed high-resolution glass plates for archives
• Wrote computer software to help identify variable star periods
• Presented observatory open houses and public lectures on astronomy
Ph.D. , Biomedical Sciences , 1988 — 1992
B.A. , Physics, Mathematics, Music , 1983 — 1988
1985 — 1985
I was at the U. of Washington to pick up core courses not available at Hastings College, but the coolest thing I learned that summer was how to sail.
video games, water sports, writing and playing music, cooking, gardening, animals, MMA