I became a Boy Scout on my 11th birthday and earned the rank of Eagle one or two months before my 13th birthday.People I tell this story to usually give me a quizzical look, since 13 is a pretty young age for an Eagle Scout.I had a number of tremendous advantages as I pursued this goal.First, I had tremendously supportive parents that provided an environment that encouraged me to follow my dreams and achieve my goals. Second, I went to Grapevine middle school which supported scouting and a wide variety of academic and cultural pursuits.And finally, I just happened to live right behind an outstanding Scoutmaster and his wonderful wife: Mr. and Mrs. Thomas McAferty.Being a member of Troop 700 was a wonderful experience – I have fond memories of camping in the snow, Scout camp in the summers, and attending the Boy Scout Jamboree.
In the ensuing 31 years I have put the skills and philosophies of being an Eagle Scout into practice in my life.You could say that Boy Scouts put the tools in my hands to meet all the challenges I wanted to, and becoming an Eagle Scout was the first major challenge along that path.I got a Bachelors of Science degree in Biochemistry from North Carolina State University and a PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of California at Santa Barbara.Today I live in Encinitas, California, work at a San Diego biotech company and try to enjoy the outdoors as much as possible with my wonderful wife Kirsten and my two girls, Ginger and Kira.
