I am Professor Emeritus in the Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics. I earned a B.A. in biology from the University of Colorado and a Ph.D. in microbiology from the University of Virginia, and completed postdoctoral training at Stanford University. I moved to UC Davis after twelve years on the faculty at Cornell University. My research focused on studying the physiology and genetics of enterobacteria. I have been collaborating with Prof. Ronald since 2016, focusing on Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae. I love to play trumpet with the UC Davis symphony orchestra and concert band, and I also enjoy golfing, reading about politics and history, and spending time with my wife, our daughter and the family dog.