My Family | My House | My Pets

A picture of me :-)Welcome to my website and blog. On this site, you’ll find information about me, some of my ongoing research, my contact information, some helpful resources, and my random thoughts about random things. Your comments, questions, and concerns are welcome. Additionally, if you are trying to acquire any of my research papers, presentations or instructional resources, please feel welcome to contact me.

I am currently an Assistant Professor in Educational Technology in the School of Teaching and Learning at the University of Florida. I am an educational researcher, software developer and educational technologist. If you are interested in some of my history or personal interests, please keep reading.

Where to start with a life story? I suppose I should start by telling you about where I was raised and my childhood. I was born in Dunedin, Florida. However, I spent most of my adolescent life in Port Richey, Florida. For those of you that have been there, I am sorry. For those of you that haven’t, you aren’t missing much. It’s historically a retirement community, but is suffering a transition because of the growing number of middle-class families moving to the area. A political and driving nightmare, of course, that is most of Florida.

My parents used to own a four-star international cuisine restaurant called Seaport Inn. Therefore, I grew up around a diverse group of people that were either my parents’ employees or their customers. My parents are both first-generation to the United States. My father, a tall German and my mother a short Chinese woman, both provided a strong and loving family life. They are quite an interesting match coming from two different worlds, which goes without saying. Whimsically, they met in an Airport in Ohio more than 30 years ago.

I am not the only child in this loving and diverse family. I have two siblings: my brother Fred and my sister Annette. They are awesome siblings. My sister lives near Orlando area and has taken the fulfilling career of a mother of two beautiful children. She says she won’t stop until she has a girl, and she is currently pregnant with her third child. My two nephews are adorable by the way. As for my brother, he is the career-oriented breadwinner up to this point. He is a middle-level regional manager for Steak n’ Shake and a great guy.

I made many important friendships in High School that have lasted (Love you Dani, Louanne, Jani). When I finished High School, things took a natural yet stark change in my life. I focused on college, and I moved to Orlando to attend Valencia Community College’s honors program. After completing my AA, I moved to Jacksonville to attend the University of North Florida (UNF) on an honors scholarship.

I completed my bachelors in Computer and Information Sciences, and my Master of Business Administration at the UNF. In the Summer of 2005, I started my doctoral work at the University of South Florida (USF). I completed my PhD in Instructional Technology and with a minor area in Measurement and Research in the Spring of 2008. I am very interested in using technology to improve educational processes and conducting sound educational research. I have made a lot of progress at UNF and USF, and most importantly, I have befriended many amazing people. I am glad that I have had the opportunity to attend both of these institutions, it truly has been an amazing experience.

Like most people, I have many interests. The problem is, I don’t have the time anymore to do all the things that I enjoy. Here are some of the things that I enjoy:

  • Real-time, multi-player, strategy war simulation video games: Command and Conquer, Age of Mythology, Age of Empires, Dune, Dune 2000, War Craft and Star Craft. I even host LAN parties for my students sometimes.
  • Red wines from all regions: Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Shiraz and Merlot. In particular, I am a fan of vineyards in California, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, and France.
  • Preparing international cuisine. My father is a chef with more than 40 years experience. They used to own a four star restaurant.
  • Traveling anywhere and everywhere. I recently went to Europe for two weeks in December with my parents. I also travel the United States regularly attending conferences.
  • Spending time with family, especially playing with my nephews. You can see in my family in my photos section.
  • Volunteering in professional and social organizations
  • Reading all the literature I should have read in High School. When I have the time, I like to read the classics. I also enjoy ‘real’ sci-fi that engages a reader in the social, moral, legal, and ethical implications of technology.