Flight Tracker for Scholars
I work as an Application Developer at The Vanderbilt Institute for Clinical and Translational Research (VICTR) at Vanderbilt Medical Center and write software for biomedical researchers to use. As a part of the REDCap Data Core, I develop software for the Edge for Scholars team called Flight Tracker for Scholars (or just Flight Tracker, for short). This REDCap-based software tracks and analyzes the career development of biomedical scholars. It helps academic leaders “watch their scholars fly” while expediting administrative tasks. Related work consists of projects pertaining to tracking grants and faculty across the research enterprise. Our software is used in over 50 institutions in the United States tracking over 40,000 scholars.
During my time at VICTR, I also worked on the REDCap team. REDCap is extremely powerful and popular software that provides tools for researchers worldwide to collect their data. During my time on the team, I pioneered the REDCap Mobile App, which allows people to collect research data in Internet-scarce environments (like the backwoods of Tennessee or rural areas of Africa or Asia).
Book Reviews
As a hobby, I engage people through literature by writing honest book reviews, some on this blog and others on other sites. I review new books that intersect various life activities. Sources of books include free previews from Amazon Prime First Reads, LibraryThing, the Englewood Review of Books, and Edelweiss+. Established, purchased books pique my curiosity as well as literature related to different areas my professional life.
Learning & Education
I live in Nashville (Cane Ridge), Tennessee, with my wife and daughter. Growing up in Greenville, South Carolina, I have attended Clemson University, Princeton Theological Seminary, and the Medical University of South Carolina. Learning is fun, whether in the classroom or (more often) in books. I like sharing the fruits of learning, and I really like mentoring others as they learn how to do life better.
Religion: The June Ramsey Class
At historic First Presbyterian Church of Nashville, I coordinate speakers in the June Ramsey class. We seek to continually educate ourselves by hosting outside speakers on various topics broadly pertaining to Christian interests. Most of our speakers come from nearby Vanderbilt Divinity School and Belmont University’s Department of Theology. We love asking questions and discussing everything from Christian history to current trends, from ancient languages to science and religion.
HIV Vaccine Trials Network: Community Advisory Board
Passionate about biomedical research, I wanted to get another view of the enterprise outside of software development. In medical school, World AIDS Day was accompanied by a day full of presentations on the global pandemic. My book reviews also deliberately span into the history of HIV/AIDS.
In clinical care, I also had fond memories while at an HIV clinic at MUSC. One day through ResearchMatch, I came across a group pursuing HIV vaccine trials at Vanderbilt. This group is affiliated the national HIV Vaccine Trials Network. I ended up joining their local Community Advisory Board (CAB). Once a month, the CAB meets and hears various things related to HIV/AIDS and ongoing vaccine trials.
In trials, I’ve tried to volunteer as a participant, but failed to meet the inclusion/exclusion criteria, unfortunately. Instead, I’ve helped with language for a trial taking place in 2024-2025. Many forget that AIDS is an ongoing pandemic that affects historically marginalized groups in places in need. Over the decades, HIV vaccine research has experienced many setbacks, but hopefully, additional persistence and effort can save some more lives. I believe together, we will.
Family Life
I love my family. My wife works with English-Language Learners in Metro Nashville Public Schools. My daughter attends middle school and enjoys writing. My sister, who has an intellectual disability, lives at Stewart Home & School in neighboring Kentucky. As a family, we tend towards the introverted side. We garden and tend the yard as well as cook delicious food. This food includes fresh herbs and vegetables from our garden. We like spending time with each other (most of the time). We do our household chores together, we read books together throughout the house, we travel across Tennessee together, and we hang out with other people together.
Mentoring
Finally, I practice the art of mentoring. Happily, facilitating healthy mentoring relationships is a function of the Edge for Scholars team at Vanderbilt Medical Center, and we specifically seek to do so in a data-informed way through the software we develop. I also attempt to engage in constructive relationships with a wide range of colleagues. Additionally, every month or two, I meet up with a youth in Clarksville, Tennessee, met through Preston Taylor Ministries.
Music
While I work and read, I usually listen music. My interests include many genres spanning folk, country, rock, classical, and especially jazz. Popular artists include Taylor Swift, Johnny Cash, Caedmon’s Call, Rich Mullins, Dolly Parton, Bob Dylan, U2, and Phil Kaeggy. A full half of my collection is rooted in the blues/ragtime/jazz tradition, including such classic artists using varied instruments as Art Tatum, Thelonious Monk, Diana Krall, Ella Fitzgerald, John Coltrane, Louis Armstrong, Branford Marsalis, Ellis Marsalis, Delfayo Marsalis, Eric Clapton, and Scott Joplin. I love jazz for four primary reasons: the anticipation of syncopation, the improvisation of scat vocals, the bubbly joy of bebop, and the expressive graininess of the saxophone.