Developing an effective analytical method to characterize complex biological and environmental systems is one of the greatest challenges in analytical chemistry. While I have spent the last 16 years working on technology developments to specifically address these problems, my initial studies began on a ranch in Montana. In this presentation I will illustrate why I chose to be a chemist, how I ended up as a senior research scientist at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and the journey along the way. I will also illustrate the ion mobility spectrometry technique, which I have worked with over the last 16 years, some of the analysis challenges I faced during the measurement developments, and the utility of this technique for analyzing biological and environmental mixtures to obtain a better understanding of environmental toxins and their associated health effects.

From a farm kid to a scientist and the analyses along the way

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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