About Me
I am a PhD student at UCLA in the Department of Political Science, where I study American Politics and Methodology. My research primarily focuses on the politics of gun ownership in the United States, though I am broadly interested in the study of state and local politics and polarization.
While at UCLA, I have been advised by Dr. Daniel Thompson and Dr. Lynn Vavreck. I am pursuing numerous projects on the politics of the Second Amendment and gun ownership in the United States, and this work has been funded through UCLA's Graduate Summer Research Fellowship (Summer 2023), and the year-long Graduate Research Mentorship Fellowship (Academic Year 2023-24, and 2024-25). With my colleague Barney Chen, our work on studying the effects of mass shootings on legislative behavior has been funded by UCLA's Initiative to Study Hate. As a GSR for Dr. James Macinko, I have worked on projects supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. I am a member of the Practical Causal Inference Lab, and an affiliate with the California Center for Population Research.
I am formerly an adjunct researcher with the RAND Corporartion, where I was also a Summer Associate in 2024. Previously, I have worked as a Congressional intern, a state and local policy researcher for an advocacy organization, a waiter, and an outdoor supply salesman (ask me about hiking boots). I have also directed grassroots political campaigns and worked as a community organizer, which has led me to testify before numerous state legislatures and submit expert written testimony on gun violence prevention legislation that was read before the Judiciary Committee of the United States House of Representatives.
I am also an avid backpacker and birdwatcher (and very amateur bird photographer). I shoot traditional recurve archery and have been trying to become more proficient in the use of the atlatl.
Education
2022 - Present
Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science
University of California, Los Angeles
My doctoral research investigates the politics of gun ownership in the United States. My work in the American Politics and Methods subfields is advised by Dr. Dan Thompson and Dr. Lynn Vavreck.
2020 - 2022
Master of Public Administration
The University of Alabama
I pursued my MPA through an accelerated degree program offered by UA. I graduated with top honors and with funding as the 308 Grace Street Scholar for my research in multiple-use forest management practices in Alabama.
2018 - 2022
Bachelor of Arts in Political Science
The University of Alabama
I graduated summa cum laude with my degree in Political Science as a University Fellow.