Holding a terminal professional degree in City and Regional Planning (MCRP, Ohio State, 2005) and Ph.D. in Geography and Urban Regional Analysis (UNC Charlotte, 2012), his professional interests bridge traditional scholarship and engaged, experiential research and teaching. Broadly, his research focuses on utilizing spatial modeling and econometric techniques to better understand regional growth processes and applying those insights to local planning and development policy. Within that focus, he has current projects examining the role of resource extraction and rural underdevelopment, and the impact of natural amenity on regional urban development patterns.