I grew up on my grandfather's farm in northern Ohio where I helped in the fields and with the livestock. My other grandfather took me into the woods to hunt and onto the lake to fish. Solitary hours in the fields, woods, and on the lake provided ample opportunity to ponder the beauty and power of nature. The ordered beauty of crop rows and the concentric ripples on water's surface made an impression on me. Coupled with a religious upbringing, my faith embraces the notion of a universe created and sustained by a supreme being. A degree in physics fueled my inquisitive nature, and reinforced my astonishment at the intricacies of life and the physical processes that drive our universe.