Now
Fall 2026
Professional Transitions
I recently resigned from my position as a university professor. I would like to say that the decision was 100 percent my choice, but it wasn’t. I definitely wanted to take ownership over my future and so in that regard, the choice was definitely my own. But I expected to retire at my alma mater and the way they distorted evidence and ran roughshod over their own policies signaled to me that I didn’t have many options.
I’m using the time to make a transition. In addition to applying to faculty jobs yet again for the 2027–2028 academic year, I’m exploring a pivot to technical work in the data science and AI space. My PhD is in social science and my training broadly aligns with much of that space. I have also been somewhat of a realist about AI compared to most of my colleagues in academe (which means, comparatively, I’m an optimist). I think the right implementation of it can do wonders. I worry about safety and am trying to figure out how I can be a part of this next period of innovation.
Grief and growing
I would be foolish and a liar if I said anything was going on that was more important than my grief over the death of my son, Paco, in March 2025. Everything from my work-life, to how I spend time with the rest of my kids and my wife, who are also grieving, has been affected by our loss. Paco was a tremendously funny and energetic kid.
My son died on Ash Wednesday of 2025. My father died on Ash Wednesday 2026. Dad was a Navy veteran and received military honors at his funeral. I never saluted so crisp in my life. The honor guard was touched to know that his father was a WWII vet, and I am an USAF 9/11 vet.
The significance of losing both of those men on Ash Wednesday was not lost on me. Nor was the significance of my daughter being born the day after the one-year anniversary of losing Paco. Sofia Francisca was welcomed into the world on March 6th of this year.
What else?!
In August, I passed the two-year mark of training Brazilian Jiujitsu. I had started in 2024 with Paco and kept with it after his death. Every day I train is a lesson in humility.
My kids are having a terrific Ohio autumn after what must be the best “first summer” in Ohio we could have imagined for them.
Currently Reading
2084 A Novel of the Climate War
Eros the Bittersweet
Superforecasting
