An understanding of the life sciences is critical for a biochemical engineer. My education in the life sciences started early, with the help of a family friend and biology teacher who had me raising fruit flies in culture tubes when I was only four. With an undergraduate degree in biochemistry and a master’s in chemical engineering that included graduate work in molecular biology, biochemistry and microbiology, I have a solid understanding of the life sciences. This understanding has been essential to my success in assisting clients with bioprocessing and biorefining projects including process development and technology transfer from bench to pilot to manufacturing plant design.
I also come from a family of gardeners and have had a lifelong interest in horticulture. After years of plant collecting and a midlife crisis during which I started a short-lived Internet rare and unusual plant nursery, I found that I could combine all of these interests into my work with Urna Vitae. Currently, I divide my time between my consulting work and ornamental plant breeding. This latter effort has expanded into a number of horticulture and plant biotechnology projects.