I have taught for 25 years, 23 of which have involved the PACE program. My teaching experience includes AP Biology, Accelerated Biology, Marine Biology and now the Living Earth. Although I grew up in the San Gabriel Valley I attended CSULB where I met my wife of 25 years. We have two grown children who were PACE students so I understand from a teacher’s and parent’s perspective what it means to be a PACE student. My degree is in marine biology and I returned to earn a masters in secondary science education. I also completed some graduate work in the field of animal behavior. My passion for teaching stems from seeing students apply theory to practical lab situations and I truly enjoy guiding students in designing their own research questions and experimental design to collect data and answer their questions. This inquiry based approach gives students more autonomy over their own learning, fosters greater interest, and is much more similar to how science actually works. My teaching goal is to have students become critical thinkers who understand how to use data to support or refute claims. I also want students to enjoy and appreciate science as a means to explore our world and contribute to the greater good.