He studies human behavioral aspects of public policy, including how people shape policies and how they respond to them. This interest stems from his prior public service career in several American government and nonprofit agencies. His research has been published in journals related to public policy, public administration, environmental policy, and education. He holds a B.S. degree in civil engineering from Cal Poly, a M.P.A. degree in public administration from the University of Southern California, and a Ph.D. degree in public policy from Georgia Tech. He is also an alumnus of the U.S. Presidential Management Fellowship and the U.S. Peace Corps.